ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the changes in the developmental domains, which were experienced by parents and children over a five-year transition from childhood into adolescence. It focuses on individual-level adolescent changes and their timing, and the social context of adolescent family transitions, including relationships, education, and work experiences. The basic developmental processes provide a foundation for understanding the individual-in-context, in which relationships, work, and education take place. Physical changes are most frequently used to demarcate the end of childhood and the beginning of adolescence. The age at which pubertal changes take place varies, but they typically happen between 10 and 15 years of age. Puberty, and the adolescent period in general, is a critical period for the development of body image and eating disorders. Research suggests that the effect of hormones on emotions is minimal for both boys and girls.
