ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book presents a picture of the transition to adolescence as it is influenced bidirectionally inside the family through parental and sibling relationships, and outside the family through relationships with a variety of systems including extended family, peers, school, and work. Adolescence is typically portrayed as a time of "storm and stress," both for the individual adolescent and for his/her family. The book looks at the developmental changes that take place as individuals transist from childhood to adolescence. It describes the changes in these developmental domains, which were experienced by parents and children in our study over a five-year transition from childhood into adolescence. The book deals with the world of work that makes up a major focus of the adults' lives and is gaining new significance for the adolescents.
