ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses behaviors commonly observed in adolescents that are considered problematic by individuals who come into contact with them. Some behaviors are considered deviant because they are not prevalent in the majority of the adolescent population. The chapter explores the role of social context in adolescent development and the relationship between peer and family factors and problem behavior. The presence of psychopathology in adult populations has been related positively to the occurrence of both positive and negative life events. Due to the character of behavior and mood in adolescence, there is the risk that early signs of disorder and problems may be dismissed as predictable changes of "normal" adolescence. The increase in internalizing behavior problems in adolescence may be related to the level of cognitive development adolescent children have achieved. In addition to misrepresenting the level of the problem of delinquency, official prevalence statistics may create misconceptions regarding the common profile of delinquents.
