Challenges of Adolescence

The term adolescence derives from the Latin word adolescere, meaning 'to grow into maturity.' It is the transitional period in a person's life between childhood and adulthood, and is commonly defined as the stage of life that begins at the onset of puberty, when sexual maturity — or the ability to reproduce — is attained. Adolescence is generally regarded as a period of rapid change, both biologically and psychologically. While the physical changes that occur during this stage are broadly universal, the social and psychological dimensions of an adolescent's experience depend heavily on the surrounding cultural context — in cultures where adolescence is viewed as a problematic or confusing time, the adolescent's experience is likely to be quite different from that of someone growing up in a culture where the adolescent years are seen as the beginning of adult behaviour, involving the taking on of responsible tasks. So although most societies recognise at least a brief period of adolescence, it is not a un …