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GOING DOWN to the ROOTS of REBELLION

A research paper presented to:

Ms. Eden A. Santiago

St. Mary’s Academy

Hagonoy, Bulacan

In partial fulfillment of the requirement for the subject

English IV

By: Anne Paula P. Adriano

Aries D. Garlitos

Joennalyn T. Martinez

Geny Marie L. Raymundo

Mary Angeline N. Sebastian

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Chapter I

I. Introduction

Teenage rebellion has been around for hundreds of years, in fact, in a paper written by

the president of the Massachusetts, Dr. Scott J. Larson, based juvenile program Straight

Ahead Ministries, he notes an interesting quote from Socrates. This quote referred to

youth as having bad manners and no regard for the elderly, a contempt for authority who

oppressed their teachers and contradicted their mothers and fathers. The Book of Genesis,

written between 1450 and 1410 B.C.E. tells the story of Esau and Jacob. Jacob lied to his

father and rebelled to steal his brother's birthright.

Teenagers can rebel in an active and passive way. They can show rebellion in an

acceptable way or by ignoring the standards of this acceptable behavior that their parents

want to them. They can rebel against the rules of their parents, religious beliefs or moral

code. Teenagers can also rebel against the authorities in the school and even government

officials. They can show disrespect for these people by breaking the rules. For example,

the teens may refuse to follow the school dress code, the legal drinking age, and may

show complete disrespect to the authorities involved.

Psychologist Erik Erikson created the eight stages of development in 1956, according

to it; teenage rebellion is a normal stage of development that occurs during the fifth stage

of development between the ages 14 and 20. As a child begins to really explore who they

are, they test boundaries, take risks and experiment with behavior.
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II. Statement of the problem

These questions aim to know about teenage rebellion.

 What is Teenage Rebellion?

 What are the possible causes of Teenage Rebellion?

 What are the manifestations that prove that they are already practicing rebellion to

the authority?

 What should the authority do to handle this kind of situation?

III. Significance of the study

The following objectives maybe:

 To know more about youth rebellion.

 To identify the reasons behind one’s rebellion.

 To determine the signs of youth rebellion.

 For the authorities to be informed on how to handle youth rebellion.

IV. Scope and Limitation

This research paper about youth rebellion will focus about the relationship between

parents and their children. The students who are responsible in answering the survey

questions are the high school students among private and public school around Hagonoy.

Their parents are given a separate questionnaire.

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V. Definition of Terms

Rebellion, or uprising, is a refusal of obedience or order. It may, therefore, be seen as

encompassing a range of behaviors from civil disobedience and mass nonviolent

resistance, to violent and organized attempts to destroy an established authority such as

a government.

Puberty is the process of physical changes by which a child's body becomes

an adult body capable of reproduction. Puberty is initiated by hormone signals from the

brain to thegonads (the ovaries and testes). 

Adolenscence is the period of physical and psychological development from the onset of

puberty to maturity.

Escapism is a way of refocusing one’s attention on things pleasant or enjoyable, as

opposed to the hard realities of the everyday world. It can be a healthy means for not

getting completely depressed by reality, or in extreme forms, can result in obsessive

behaviors that make people completely ignore reality to their detriment.

Ideology is a set of ideas that constitutes one's goals, expectations, and actions. An

ideology can be thought of as a comprehensive vision, as a way of looking at things, as in

common sense and several philosophicaltendencies, or a set of ideas proposed by the

dominant class of a society to all members of this society.

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Chapter II

I. Presentation of Data

Graph 1

1. Do you have an open relationship with your parents?

2. Do you tell your problems to your parents?

3. Are you comfortable hanging out with your parents?

4. Do you feel angry when you’re being comforted by your parents?

5. Have you ever disobeyed your parents?

6. Do you consider yourself a rebel?

25

20

15

yes
10 no

0
1 2 3 4 5 6
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Graph 1.1:Things done against parents’ will.

Others

Fighting

Disrespect

8 Spending Time with friends

whom your parents
diasapprove

Runaway from home

Didn't Study seriously

Lying
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

Graph 1.2: Reasons for committing rebellious act.

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Experiencing a problem with

oneself or other people
9
to get parent's attention
In a desperate situation
Influenced by friends

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Graph 2

1.Do you have an open relationship with your child?

2. Do you use spanking as a form of discipline?

3. Do you have conflicts at home?

4. Do you allow your child to spend time with his/her friends?

5. To avoid argument, do you simply give in to your child’s wishes?

6. Whenever your child does something wrong, do you ask him/her to

explain his/her side?

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25

20

15

yes
no
10

0
1 2 3 4 5 6

Graph2.1: Time spend with child

Per Week

Per Day

0 5 10 15 20 25
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Graph 2.1.a.: Time spend with child (per week)

per week 13 - 24 hrs

1 - 12 hrs

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5

Graph2.1.b: Time spend with child ( per day)

19 - 24hrs
per day 13 - 18 hrs
7 - 12 hrs
1 - 6 hrs

0 2 4 6 8 10 12
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Graph 2.2: Kind of parent

democratic
permissive
authoritative
8 nagger
over protective
suspicious
strict
supportive

0 5 10 15 20 25

Graph 2.3: Ways of handling child’s misbehavior

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9 hurting
nagging
confronting

0 5 10 15 20 25

II. Analysis/ Interpretation

Common disregard of the law, disrespecting and misbehavior, people encounter these

every day. This research is made in order to better understand why people specifically

teenagers tend to rebel and to know how to deal with them. The researchers conducted a

survey to both teens and parents around Hagonoy. The aim is to know what the factors

that trigger rebellion are. The survey shows that all the teens who answered are rebel in

some sort of way. Most of the teen respondents sight disrespecting to parents and

authorities as their form of rebellion. Their reason of doing so is because of the problem

they are experiencing with themselves, a problem which teenagers are going through. It is

their desire for independence and self- identity. In order to know whether parents

contribute to rebellion questionnaires were also given to parents.

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With the survey being conducted based on Graph 1, on items 1 to 4 it showed that

most teenagers have an open relationship with their parents and they are comfortable

hanging with them. However on item 5, 72% of the respondent said they have disobeyed

their parents and 24% considered their self as a rebel. This graph shows that even with an

open relationship their still instances that teenagers disobey their parents. On Graph 1.2,

it shows that the top 3 things the respondents done against the will are 12% of the

respondents answered didn’t study seriously, 36% said show disrespect (in answering and

actions) and 72% said lying which is the highest and most respondent do against the

norms. When our respondents were asked the reason why they rebel, the top answer we

got is because of problem with oneself or other people. This involves problem with their

personality, family, friends or community they belong to. Out of the twenty five (25)

teenager respondents, we therefore interpret that even with an open relationship with the

parents it is still unavoidable for the teenager to rebel since there are other factors that

may trigger it. Adolescence is a tough stage and hence need an outmost guidance and

support from all the people around them.

Other respondents were twenty five (25) parents. Based on the survey, Graph 2 shows

that most of the respondents listen to their child and have an open relationship with them.

When they were asked if they use spanking to discipline their child, 56% of the

respondents admit that they do that wherein this kind of action can be a contributing

factor for rebellion. Based on the first part of the survey, respondents manifest an open

relationship with their children, just so happen that they tend to be physical as the way of

discipline. On the aspect of the time spent with their children, respondents were given the
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option if it is per week or per day. Respondents who answered on per day spent 7 to 12

hours with their kids while respondents on per week spent 13 to 24 hours a week. It just

showed that respondent gives priority to spent time with their children. As to Graph 2.2

on what kind of parent, the survey showed that the top 3 kind of parents are supportive,

which compose of 80% of respondents, then strict and over protective. It plays such a big

role to the teenager when they have supportive parents that are with them through thick

and thin. There is no grateful feeling that to have your proud parents accompanying from

the beginning until the end of the race. Graph 2.3 shows on how respondents handle

misbehavior, 98% of them said they confront their children, wherein it shows that parents

welcome to hear their children side.

Overall results of the survey showed on the first part wherein teenagers are the

respondents, that most of them have open relationship, being love and caress by their

parents thou however at times tend to lie. Very minimal of our respondents admit they are

rebel. This simply shows when teenagers have good relationship with their parents and

family they overcome being a rebellious. They tend to follow norms set by the authority.

On the other hand on parents respondents, they spend more time with their children, they

support all the endeavors and open for explanation which build a harmonious relationship

with the teenager.

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Chapter III

I.Summary

Teenage rebellion is a problem that has been around ever since teenagers have.

Almost every teen goes through some sort of rebellious stage after precious years of

puberty. It is a problem caused by many attributes. There are many forms of rebellion.

Disrespecting parents and authorities, fighting, not studying well, disregard of rules and

law and even running away from home. In order to deal with this problem one must know

or identify first the reasons for rebellion. Based on the survey conducted, most teenagers

tend to rebel because of the crisis or problem they are experiencing with themselves.

According to Dr. Dave Currie in his book Teenage Crisis, Adolescence begins as the

result of the desire for independence. It is a developmental norm. As part of their

development as young adults, teens must develop an identity independent from their

parents or family. They experiment different roles, behavior and ideologies as part of

developing their identities. In this stage of life, parents have an important role to make.

Their way of dealing with their children and children’s rebellion is important. It could

either help their children get through this stage or worsen the situation. Not having a good

relationship with parents is also a factor that triggers teenage rebellion. Teens don’t have

anyone to listen to them, to guide them and some use delinquency as a way to get parents

attention. Teenage rebellion has a far deep reason than what people think. It is not just a

simple disregard of the rules and proper behavior. It is not just an ordinary misbehavior

but escapism, a way divert the depression, problems and crisis they are experiencing.

They need understanding and patience.

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II.Conclusion

With the fact gathered by the researchers on this study, it is therefore concluded that

there are various roots for a teenage rebellion. Others may perceive it as a rebellion, when

if we go deep into the situation it is just a result of a misinterpretation.

Teenage rebellion is characterized by a refusal, disobedience, resistance to the normal

behavior or expected attitude towards the norms being set by the authority. Often times it

is being misjudge whether it is indeed a form of rebellion or just a conflict of interest

between parties. Normal rebellion needs to be understood as the natural desire to grow,

although being sought after in an awkward manner. Being it does contribute to growing

maturity, normal rebellion should not be only expected by parents it is actually desirable.

There are unhealthy causes of teenage rebellion to include are parental discord,

parental discipline methods, family confusion, alcoholic parent to mention some. Based

on the survey conducted by the researchers 9 out of the 25 respondents or 36% of them

answered that the root of their rebellion is because they are having problem with oneself

or with others. As being in an adolescent stage, wherein all urge for curiosity and

personal confusion is arising it is understandable for a teenage to misbehave sometimes.

However there are some teenagers, who can’t handle the conflict and think that they are

being neglected by their parents and they are the ones who end up being a rebel.

Teenagers who are frequently being observed doing things against the normal behavior as

such fighting, showing disrespect, not performing well in their studies, lying and worst

run away from home are the one showing a clear manifestation of a teenage rebel.
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Most teenagers are aggressive and crave for so much independence. Parents have the

most authority to persuade their children to overcome such behavior. Parents most

importantly should have the time to talk to their children to know the loops of their life.

Parents should take an integral part to every step of their growing children. They should

nourish them with their unconditional love and care. Outmost guidance is indeed a

helpful tool. As being cited from an anonymous author, “A good parenting is like

teaching your child to ride a bicycle. At first you would go with them but sooner after

you also let them go”.

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IV.Recommendation

Teenage years are critical period of human development. It is in these years that the

teenagers discover themselves and wants independence. The researchers of the study

recommend the following:

 Parents to develop good relationship with their child. Having a good relationship

with your child drives them to behave accordingly. Teenage years are critical

period of human development

 Parents to spend more time with their children, talk to them, take an active interest

in the adolescent this will develop good relationship among parents and children

through this teens will be more free to express themselves.

 Being patient to them is vital and understand their situation.

 Influence by friends is also one factor of rebellion based on the survey result so it

is also important for parents to monitor the circle of friends their children have.

 Parents should not be too strict with their children, because they have taken the

same road and felt the same growing pain.

      
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 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Currie, Dr. Dave. “Tackling the Teenage Crisis: Helping Parents Survive Adolescent

Rebellion.”

<http://christianwomentoday.com/parenting/rebellion.html>

“All kinds of parents.”

<http://myhopefulheart.wordpress.com/2009/11/05/all-kinds-of-parents/>

 Wolff, Susanna. “The 7 Types of Parents You See on Move In Day”

<http://www.collegehumor.com/article:1808737>

<http://www.answers.com>

<http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-escapism.htm>