ABSTRACT
For some years now the adolescent or teenage years have been recognised as crucial for the later emotional development of the individual. This is evidenced by the proliferation of publications devoted to this stage of the life span (e.g. Conger and Petersen 1984; Dusek 1991; Furnham and Gunter 1989; Furnham and Stacey 1991; Heaven 1994; Rice 1992; Sprinthall and Collins 1988). It is only more recently that research attention in both the medical and social sciences has begun to focus exclusively on adolescent health. Indeed, this development has been characterised by the establishment of journals such as the Journal of Adolescent Health and the Journal of Adolescent Health Care as outlets for research into all matters related to adolescent health.
