ABSTRACT
In this chapter some of the major developmental tasks of the young adolescent will be discussed against the background of pubertal maturation and some findings from research. It will be stressed that, in contrast to middle and late adolescence, the psychological process of early adolescence remains a rather unexplored area. In view of recent research it would appear necessary to reconsider some theoretical contributions about this developmental phase. The technical difficulties in the psychoanalytic treatment of young adolescents will be addressed and illustrated with some clinical vignettes.
