ABSTRACT
The word ‘adolescence’ comes from the Latin adolescere meaning ‘to grow into maturity’. As well as being a time of enormous physiological change, adolescence is marked by changes in behaviour, expectations and relationships with both parents and peers. In Western, industrialised societies, there is generally no single initiation rite signalling the passage into adulthood. This makes the transition more difficult than it appears to be in more traditional, non-industrialised societies. Relationships with adults in general and parents in particular must be renegotiated in a way that allows the adolescent to achieve greater independence. This process is aided by changing relationships with peers.
