ABSTRACT
In the previous chapters, the authors laid out a diverse set of assets needed for successful development during childhood. Some of the authors have included adolescence; others have not. In the subsequent chapters, the authors discuss a diverse set of assets linked to successful lives during adulthood. In this chapter, we focus on adolescence and emerging adulthood (Arnett, 2000) as the pivotal periods between childhood and adulthood; we refer to the people in these two periods as youth. The learning and development that takes place from birth to adolescence, of course, continues during adolescence and emerging adulthood. But more importantly, the need to be prepared for the transition into adulthood becomes increasingly salient during these years. It is during these periods of life
that individuals must acquire and consolidate the skills, attitudes, values, and social capitol needed to move from dependence on one's family to both self-reliance and the adult forms of interdependence coupled with the kinds of strong social connections needed for both one's own well-being and the parenting of the next generation.
