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This chapter is part of a book that is no longer available to purchase from Cambridge Core

18 - Adolescent Physical Development and Health Issues

from Part 7 - Adolescence

Phillip T. Slee
Phillip T. Slee
Affiliation:
Flinders University of South Australia
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Summary

‘So Typical’

The spot on my chin is getting bigger. It's my mother's fault for not having known about vitamins. I pointed out to my mother that I hadn't had my vitamin C today. She said ‘Go buy an orange’. So typical! Nigel came around today. He hasn't got a single spot yet. My grandma came by today. She squeezed my pimple. It has made it worse. I will go to the doctors on Saturday if the spot is still there. I can't live like this with everybody staring.

Sue Townsend, The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole age 13¾

KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS

  • Puberty

  • Growth spurt

  • Hypothalamus

  • Pituitary gland

  • Gonads

  • Menarche

  • Secular trends

  • Sex-role

  • Gender identity

  • Androgyny

  • Anorexia nervosa

  • AIDS

Introduction

The sentiments expressed by the teenager, Adrian Mole capture some of the complexity surrounding the physical changes that occur during this period of life. The term ‘adolescence’ is derived from the Latin adolescere, which means ‘to grow up’ or ‘to grow to maturity’. Adults' feelings about adolescents are often pessimistic or somewhat ambivalent. The eighth century BC Greek poet Hesiod's opinion of the youth of his time would not be out of place today:

I can see no hope for the future of our people if they are dependent on the frivolous youth of today for certainly all youth are reckless beyond words … When I was a boy, we were taught to be discreet and respectful of elders, but the present youth are exceedingly wise and impatient of restraint.

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Information
Child, Adolescent and Family Development , pp. 385 - 412
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2002

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