ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses aspects of timing in physical maturation and body concept and their bearing on the adolescent's psychosexual development. Adolescents are intensely preoccupied with the processes of physical maturation and with physical attractiveness. From the perspective of health psychology, changes in body self-image and the timing of physical maturation are highly relevant because they are accompanied by various somatic complaints or behaviors that are potentially hazardous to one's health. Body image is understood as being a part of a hierarchically organized concept of self, because the body is a fundamental element of identity. Although gender differences in the level of esteem for one's own body exist from childhood on, these become more marked during early adolescence. Body image also varies according to health status. In a longitudinal study of chronically ill and healthy adolescents, it was found that a negative body image was uniformly present in both male and female adolescents suffering from chronic illness.
