Adolescence begins after the onset of puberty and is, in part, our emotional and cognitive reactions to puberty. Adolescence ends when the person achieves “adulthood,” signified by a sense of individual identity and an ability to cope independently with internal and external problems (Lovejoy & Estridge, 1987). People reach adulthood at different times; adolescence can end at around the age of 17 or 18, or it can drag out into a person’s 20s. It is recognized the world over as a time of transition, as the entrance into the responsibilities and privileges of adulthood. Most societies throughout history have developed rites of passage around puberty; the Jewish Bar or Bat Mitzvah, Christian confirmation, and the Hispanic Quinceanera come to mind— and other cultures have other rites. The Quinceanera—a 15th birthday celebration for Latina girls—has traditionally been used as an opportunity to discuss female adolescent developmental tasks and challenges, including teenage pregnancy and sexuality (Stewart, 2005).
We know the most about this developmental period because, as we discussed earlier in this chapter, we do have ongoing research studies on adolescent sexual behavior. Overall, we know that adolescence is a time of physical, emotional, and cognitive change. There is no other time in the life cycle that so many things happen at once: the body undergoes rapid change; the individual begins a psychological separation from the parents; peer relationships, dating, and sexuality increase in importance; and attention turns to job, career, or college choices. The relationships an adolescent has with his or her mother and father are important during this time (Nickerson & Nagle, 2005). Typically, adolescents report being closer to their mothers than their fathers during adolescence (Williams & Kelly, 2005).
Many young people have their first experience with heterosexual intercourse during this time, and some others confirm or discover same-sex attractions. It is no wonder that many adults look back on their adolescence as both a time of confusion and difficulty and a time of fond memories. However, though some researchers portray adolescence as a time of great stress, others argue that really only a small proportion of adolescents find it to be a particularly difficult period (Chilman, 1983).
Question: I keep reading about how terrible people’s adolescence was, and mine was fine—I mean I had the normal problems, but it was no big deal. Am I weird?
Adolescence is a time of great change and development, and how people handle it depends on a host of factors, including their biology (such as fluctuating hormone levels), their family, their personality, and their social relationships. Adolescence, in general, may not be as upsetting or disturbing to most people as theorists tend to portray it (Brooks-Gunn & Furstenburg, 1990). If you had (or are having) a wonderful adolescence, that makes you fortunate, not "weird." Be sympathetic to others who may not have had your resources—whether biological, psychological, or social—as they went through adolescence.