ABSTRACT

This chapter discusses the concept of adolescence and have examined the theories of Erikson and Marcia. It focuses on what it means to be an adolescent living in a Western culture, and have considered the various factors e.g. ‘rites of passage’, that may have an impact on the process of development, from child to adult. A possible effect of peers from research carried out in Western cultures is that they provide the adolescent with the security and self-confidence they need to take their final steps towards independence. The educational attainment of adolescents from different cultures also shows wide differences. In 1988, approximately 13 per cent of adolescent females living in the USA aged between 15 and 19 years became pregnant. Starting and raising a family is highly challenging for most people, but for an adolescent the challenges can be even more severe, and often have long-term negative consequences.