The age of adolescence
- PMID: 30169257
- DOI: 10.1016/S2352-4642(18)30022-1
The age of adolescence
Abstract
Adolescence is the phase of life stretching between childhood and adulthood, and its definition has long posed a conundrum. Adolescence encompasses elements of biological growth and major social role transitions, both of which have changed in the past century. Earlier puberty has accelerated the onset of adolescence in nearly all populations, while understanding of continued growth has lifted its endpoint age well into the 20s. In parallel, delayed timing of role transitions, including completion of education, marriage, and parenthood, continue to shift popular perceptions of when adulthood begins. Arguably, the transition period from childhood to adulthood now occupies a greater portion of the life course than ever before at a time when unprecedented social forces, including marketing and digital media, are affecting health and wellbeing across these years. An expanded and more inclusive definition of adolescence is essential for developmentally appropriate framing of laws, social policies, and service systems. Rather than age 10-19 years, a definition of 10-24 years corresponds more closely to adolescent growth and popular understandings of this life phase and would facilitate extended investments across a broader range of settings.
Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Comment in
-
Defining adolescence: priorities from a global health perspective.Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2018 May;2(5):e10. doi: 10.1016/S2352-4642(18)30096-8. Epub 2018 Mar 23. Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2018. PMID: 30169271 No abstract available.
-
The age of adolescence…and young adulthood.Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2018 Apr;2(4):e6. doi: 10.1016/S2352-4642(18)30079-8. Epub 2018 Mar 13. Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2018. PMID: 30169304 No abstract available.
-
The age of adolescence…and young adulthood - Authors' reply.Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2018 Apr;2(4):e7. doi: 10.1016/S2352-4642(18)30075-0. Epub 2018 Mar 13. Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2018. PMID: 30169305 No abstract available.
Similar articles
-
The transition from adolescence to adult life: physiology of the 'transition' phase and its evolutionary basis.Horm Res. 2003;60(Suppl 1):74-7. doi: 10.1159/000071230. Horm Res. 2003. PMID: 12955022 Review.
-
Changing patterns of adolescent sexual behavior: consequences for health and development.J Adolesc Health. 1992 Jul;13(5):345-50. doi: 10.1016/1054-139x(92)90026-8. J Adolesc Health. 1992. PMID: 1390784 Review.
-
The timing of entry into adult roles and changes in trajectories of problem behaviors during the transition to adulthood.Dev Psychol. 2014 Nov;50(11):2473-84. doi: 10.1037/a0037950. Epub 2014 Sep 22. Dev Psychol. 2014. PMID: 25243329
-
Adolescence: a foundation for future health.Lancet. 2012 Apr 28;379(9826):1630-40. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(12)60072-5. Epub 2012 Apr 25. Lancet. 2012. PMID: 22538178
-
The life course in the making: gender and the development of adolescents' expected timing of adult role transitions.Dev Psychol. 2012 Nov;48(6):1727-38. doi: 10.1037/a0027538. Epub 2012 Mar 26. Dev Psychol. 2012. PMID: 22448985
Cited by
-
Mapping eating disorders in adolescents and young adults: an investigation of geographic distribution and access to care in Ontario, Canada.J Eat Disord. 2024 Sep 9;12(1):136. doi: 10.1186/s40337-024-01098-6. J Eat Disord. 2024. PMID: 39252024 Free PMC article.
-
Psychological Stress During Childhood and Adolescence and Its Association With Inflammation Across the Lifespan: A Critical Review and Meta-Analysis.Psychol Bull. 2022 Jan-Feb;148(1-2):27-66. doi: 10.1037/bul0000351. Psychol Bull. 2022. PMID: 39247904 Free PMC article.
-
Happy children! A network of psychological and environmental factors associated with the development of positive affect in 9-13 children.PLoS One. 2024 Sep 6;19(9):e0307560. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0307560. eCollection 2024. PLoS One. 2024. PMID: 39240900 Free PMC article.
-
A longitudinal examination of the effect of physical exercise on the emotional states of college students: exploring the sense of coherence as a mediator through a cross-lagged panel analysis.Front Behav Neurosci. 2024 Aug 22;18:1428347. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2024.1428347. eCollection 2024. Front Behav Neurosci. 2024. PMID: 39238847 Free PMC article.
-
The Association between Attention-Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder and Autistic Traits with Psychotic-like Experiences in Sample of Youths Who Were Referred to a Psychiatric Outpatient Service.Brain Sci. 2024 Aug 22;14(8):844. doi: 10.3390/brainsci14080844. Brain Sci. 2024. PMID: 39199535 Free PMC article.
Publication types
MeSH terms
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources
Miscellaneous