Adolescent development: myths and realities.

2 opposing stereotyped views of adolescence regard it as either a transitional stage marked by tumult which will be outgrown and which thus requires little societal attention or as a troubled time marked by unwed preganancy educational failure rising rates of arrest and running away and suicide. Several widely believed myths about adolescents limit our ability to understand them: the myths that adolescence is a pathological time of life; that adolescents are a homogeneous group; that adolescents are children; that growth is continuous uniform and synchronous; that adolescence is transitional. Adolescent needs result from their biological and socioemotional developmental tasks. Individuation forming commitments separation and outgrowing characteristic forms of egocentrism are among the socioemotional tasks. Cognitive development in adolescence involves appearance of the ability to think in abstractions. Most adolescents are deeply involved with 2 social institutions the family and the school. Other services for adolescents are frequently uncoordinated and scarce despite the fact that adolescents are extremely vulnerable to positive influences.