Commentary

In this introductory lesson to your text on Adolescent Development, we will be focusing on getting an overview of the course material to be covered and making a plan about how you will be proceeding.

The text covers a wide range of topics pertaining to adolescence. It looks at the universals, or areas that adolescents have in common, and also the particulars, or different experiences of adolescence. The experience of adolescence varies widely due to many factors, both physiological and environmental.

A multidisciplinary approach is taken in the text in order to meet the need for a thorough understanding of adolescent psychological development from many perspectives. The following is a short overview of the disciplines contained within the multidisciplinary approach to which you will be exposed.

The biological approach, which will be covered first, covers physical development in adolescence and the many changes that occuróincluding sex differencesóin timing and sequence. Much new research on the effect of environmental factors on physical development in puberty is highlighted.

Next, the text moves into the area of social development, focusing mainly on the changing nature of the relationships with family and friends during adolescence. There is usually a fairly regular progression through the stages of relationships with parents, same-sex friends, and finally intimate relationships.

How young people as a group are viewed and treated by society is the focus of the next section, the sociological approach. What attitudes do teachers, parents, and other adults in our society have about adolescents, and how do they affect them? This will be explored more fully in the section on the contexts of adolescence.

Comparing adolescents in the United States with those in other cultures may avoid some of the problems that we encounter with our youth. In this section on the cultural approach to studying adolescence, the text makes comparisons not only cross-culturally, but also historically.

The historical approach will take you through the rapid changes our society has undergone in its treatment and attitudes toward youth and the period of adolescence. This period used to be considered adulthood, and included many adult responsibilities, such as marriage, work, and child-rearing. In contemporary society, the period of adolescence is much longer, often extending into the early twenties.