ABSTRACT
At the end of a recent midterm exam, one struggling undergraduate wrote, "Adolescence is the last plight before adulthood." Although a bit muddled, this statement does reflect a traditional view of adolescence as an intrinsically stressful period of the life span (Bios, 1967; A. Freud, 1958; S. Freud, 1925; Hamburg, 1974). Within that perspective, the advent of exogenous stressors, such as parental divorce or school transition are thought to only exacerbate negative outcomes in a uniquely vulnerable period (Hetherington & Anderson, 1988; Simmons & Blyth, 1987; Wallerstein & Kelly, 1980). Consequently, adolescents are frequently described as moody, rebellious, and driven by libidinal urges that find expression in precisely the activities most feared by parents and teachers.
