ABSTRACT
While it is generally accepted that the ground-plan of adult personality is laid down in infancy and childhood, it is not sufficiently recognized that its final shape will depend on the experiences of adolescence. The challenge of physical development, especially the demands of mature sexuality and the push to become free of dependence on parents during adolescence, places the individual in a critical situation, when he can either move forward or cling to infantile modes of functioning. We do not fully understand the smooth transition from adolescence to adulthood, but our work with disturbed individuals helps us to recognize some of the factors that interfere with this process. Before giving examples of disturbed individuals, I would like to spell out some of the special features of adolescent development.
