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WHO|Adolescentdevelopment

Maternal,newborn,childandadolescenthealth
Adolescentdevelopment
Acriticaltransition
WHOidentifiesadolescenceastheperiod
inhumangrowthanddevelopmentthat
occursafterchildhoodandbefore
adulthood,fromages10to19.Itrepresents
oneofthecriticaltransitionsinthelife
spanandischaracterizedbyatremendous
paceingrowthandchangethatissecondonlytothatofinfancy.
Biologicalprocessesdrivemanyaspectsofthisgrowthand
development,withtheonsetofpubertymarkingthepassagefrom
childhoodtoadolescence.Thebiologicaldeterminantsofadolescence
arefairlyuniversalhowever,thedurationanddefiningcharacteristicsof
thisperiodmayvaryacrosstime,cultures,andsocioeconomic
situations.Thisperiodhasseenmanychangesoverthepastcentury
namelytheearlieronsetofpuberty,laterageofmarriage,urbanization,
globalcommunication,andchangingsexualattitudesandbehaviors.
Keydevelopmentalexperiences
Theprocessofadolescenceisaperiodofpreparationforadulthood
duringwhichtimeseveralkeydevelopmentalexperiencesoccur.
Besidesphysicalandsexualmaturation,theseexperiencesinclude
movementtowardsocialandeconomicindependence,anddevelopment
ofidentity,theacquisitionofskillsneededtocarryoutadult
relationshipsandroles,andthecapacityforabstractreasoning.While
adolescenceisatimeoftremendousgrowthandpotential,itisalsoa
timeofconsiderableriskduringwhichsocialcontextsexertpowerful
influences.
Pressurestoengageinhighriskbehaviour
Manyadolescentsfacepressurestousealcohol,cigarettes,orother
drugsandtoinitiatesexualrelationshipsatearlierages,putting
themselvesathighriskforintentionalandunintentionalinjuries,
unintendedpregnancies,andinfectionfromsexuallytransmitted
infections(STIs),includingthehumanimmunodeficiencyvirus(HIV).
Manyalsoexperienceawiderangeofadjustmentandmentalhealth
problems.Behaviorpatternsthatareestablishedduringthisprocess,
suchasdruguseornonuseandsexualrisktakingorprotection,can
havelonglastingpositiveandnegativeeffectsonfuturehealthandwell
being.Asaresult,duringthisprocess,adultshaveuniqueopportunities
toinfluenceyoungpeople.
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WHO|Adolescentdevelopment

Adolescentsaredifferentbothfromyoungchildrenandfromadults.
Specifically,adolescentsarenotfullycapableofunderstandingcomplex
concepts,ortherelationshipbetweenbehaviorandconsequences,or
thedegreeofcontroltheyhaveorcanhaveoverhealthdecisionmaking
includingthatrelatedtosexualbehaviour.Thisinabilitymaymakethem
particularlyvulnerabletosexualexploitationandhighriskbehaviours.
Laws,customs,andpracticesmayalsoaffectadolescentsdifferently
thanadults.Forexample,lawsandpoliciesoftenrestrictaccessby
adolescentstoreproductivehealthinformationandservices,especially
whentheyareunmarried.Inaddition,evenwhenservicesdoexist,
providerattitudesaboutadolescentshavingsexoftenposeasignificant
barriertouseofthoseservices.
Familyandcommunityarekeysupports
Adolescentsdependontheirfamilies,their,communities,schools,
healthservicesandtheirworkplacestolearnawiderangeofimportant
skillsthatcanhelpthemtocopewiththepressurestheyfaceandmake
thetransitionfromchildhoodtoadulthoodsuccessfully.Parents,
membersofthecommunity,serviceproviders,andsocialinstitutions
havetheresponsibilitytobothpromoteadolescentdevelopmentand
adjustmentandtointerveneeffectivelywhenproblemsarise.

Relatedlinks
Documentsondevelopment
Documentsonadolescence

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