Adolescence is a turbulent period to live through, and a time of
importance and concern to parents, teachers, and social workers. Marking
the transition from the world of childhood to adult life, the adolescent
faces many challenges and opportunities, including forming their own
identity, relating to often conflicting demands from parents and peers,
and negotiating first romantic relationships.
In this Very Short Introduction, Peter K. Smith provides an engaging
and informative overview of what we know and what we are learning about
adolescence. Including both a guide to the classical research that has
informed our knowledge, as well as the results of the modern research
into the contemporary adolescent experience, Smith examines a number of
aspects of adolescence, including the cultural and historical context,
the biological changes to the adolescent brain, and the controversies
that adolescence brings.
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