ABSTRACT
ADOLESCENCE is a period in the life span with great potential for wellness. Adolescents, who have survived infancy and early childhood, are not yet vulnerable to the major killers of adulthood. As part of pubertal maturation, adolescents gain increased strength and stamina. Gains in cognitive development give adolescents a more sophisticated understanding of physiology and health, and gains in autonomy and independence set the stage for adolescents to take increasing responsibility for their well-being. From a medical perspective, great strides have been made in reducing adolescent mortality from illness and disease: As a result of improved public health practices, gains in medical technology, and better health care delivery, adolescent deaths due to natural causes dropped 90% between 1935 and 1985 (Fingerhut & Kleinman, 1989).
