ABSTRACT
Most American teenagers adapt adequately to the normative stressors in their lives: the biological changes of puberty; the various school transitions they must go through; the increased importance of their peers; and their changing relationships with parents and other adults. Some children and youths are overwhelmed by the stressful environments they live in, which are characterized by crime and violence, drugs, high rates of teen pregnancy (Scott-Jones & White, 1990), poor schools, and unemployment. Over time, these multiple stressors prevent them from attaining the expected developmental outcomes of adolescence, thus leaving them ill equipped for the challenges of adult life.
