Development During Adolescence

Adolescence is the developmental stage between childhood and adulthood;

it generally refers to a period ranging from age 12 or 13 through age 19 or 21.

Although its beginning is often balanced with the beginning of puberty,

adolescence is characterized by psychological and social stages as well as by

biological changes.

Adolescence can be prolonged, brief, or virtually nonexistent, depending

on the type of culture in which it occurs. In societies that are simple, for

example, the transition from childhood to adulthood tends to occur rather

rapidly, and is marked by traditionally prescribed passage rites. to contrast

this, American and European societies the transition period for young people has

been steadily lengthening over the past 100 years, giving rise to an adolescent

subculture. As a result of this prolonged transitional stage a variety of

problems and concerns specifically associated with this age group have developed.

Psychologists single out four areas that especially touch upon adolescent

behavior and development: physiological change and growth; cognitive, or mental

development; identity, or personality formation; and parent-adolescent

relations.

Physiological Change:

Between the ages of 9 and 15, almost all young people undergo a rapid

series of physiological changes, known as the adolescent growth spurt. These

hormonal changes include an acceleration in the body's growth rate; the

development of pubic hair; the appearance of axillary, or armpit, hair about

two years later. There are changes in the structure and functioning of the

reproductive organs; the mammary glands in girls; and development of the sweat

glands, which often leads to an outbreak of acne. In both sexes, these

physiological changes occur at different times. This period of change can prove

to be very stressful for a pre-teen. For during this stage of life appearance

is very important. An adolescent child who develops very early or extremely

late can take a lot of ridicule from his or her peers. However, the time at

which a girl goes through this stage and a male goes through it are different.

Girls typically begin their growth spurt shortly after age 10. They

tend to reach their peak around the age 12, and tend to finish by age 14. This

spurt occurs almost two years later in boys. Therefore boys go through a

troubling period where girls are taller and heavier than them. This awkward

period occurs from ages ten and one-half to thirteen. Time is not the only

difference in the pubescent period for boys and girls.

In girls, the enlargement of the breasts is usually the first physical