Understanding Adolescence Seeing Through A Developmental Lens

Developmental Tasks and Attributes of

Late Adolescence/Young Adulthood (Ages 18 – 24 years)

This is a time of life when very little is normative. It is a period of frequent change
and exploration that covers many aspects of their life: home, family, work, school,
resources, and role. What is “normal”
The process of becoming an adult is more gradual and varied today than in the for a young adult?
past. Young people take longer to achieve economic and psychological autonomy Where do they live?
and early adulthood experiences vary greatly by gender, race and ethnicity, and
Who do they live with?
social class.
In school?

Adjust to new n Serious intimate relationships begin to Working?

develop. Majority regard love, fidelity and
physical sense of self lifelong commitment as very important to a
Working and in school?
While young adolescents experience rapid successful relationship. In-between school and work?
and profound physical changes triggered by
n Most are sexually experienced. Unemployed?
hormones acting on different parts of their
body, physical and sexual body changes are Close to parents?
primarily complete. Develop and apply
Parenting?
n While most physical development is abstract thinking skills
complete, young men may continue to Adolescents experience significant changes in Spouse or partner?
physically grow until age 21. their capacity to think. In changing from Community member?
n Greater acceptance of physical appearance. concrete to abstract thought they are
increasingly able to understand and grapple Tax-payer?
with abstract ideas, think about possibilities, Voter?
Adjust to a sexually think ahead, think about thinking, and “put
maturing body and feelings themselves in another person’s shoes.” Citizen?
With the significant changes in adolescence, In general, this changes their ability to think
youth must adapt sexually and establish a about themselves, others and the world considering many possibilities and logical
sense of sexual identity. This includes around them. outcomes of possible events.
incorporating a personal sense of masculinity
This is a gradual process that spans n Able to hold and manipulate clusters of
or femininity into one’s personal identity;
adolescence and young adulthood. For abstract ideas and create systems for
establishing values about sexual behavior;
example, early in the process youth are organizing abstract thoughts.
and developing skills for romantic
relationships. limited in their ability to hold more than one n Greater ability to consider different points
point of view – understanding something of view at the same time can result in
n Clear sexual identity. from one perspective but not another. increased empathy and concern for others,
n Concerned with serious relationships and n Capacity for abstract thought becomes and new interest in societal issues for many.
their potential for emotional and physical established; can think abstractly and It also allows youth to better value the
intimacy (What kind of person am I? What hypothetically; can discern the underlying diversity of people (and their perspectives)
kind of person would suit me best as a principles and apply them to new and appreciate that there may be many
partner?). situations; and can think about the future, right answers to a problem.
n Philosophical and idealistic.

Brain Development
Although scientists have documented brain teen years and even into the 20s with a problem-solving, thinking ahead,
development in adolescence and young second growth spurt of gray matter prioritizing, long-term planning, self-
adulthood, they are less sure about what it (peaking at age 11 for girls and 12 for boys) evaluation and regulation of emotion,
means for changes in cognitive followed by a “pruning” process in which begins to develop in early adolescence with
development, behavior, intelligence, and connections among neurons in the brain a final developmental push starting at age
capacity to learn. that are not used wither away and those 16 or 17. It is not that these tasks cannot be
that are used remain. done before young adulthood, but rather
By age 6 (on average), a young person’s
that it takes more effort and requires
brain is 95% of adult size. However, the The front part of the brain, responsible for
practice.
brain continues to physically develop in the functions such as complex reasoning,
Define a personal Renegotiate relationship Throughout adolescence, friendships become
more stable, intimate and supportive; they
sense of identity with parents/caregivers provide a cornerstone for learning about adult
Adolescents move from identifying Adolescents negotiate a change in relationships.
themselves as an extension of their parents relationship with parents that begins to
(childhood) to recognizing their uniqueness balance autonomy (independence) with
n Relate to individual peers more than to
and separation from parents. They develop a connection. Overall, the adolescent’s task is peer group.
sense of self as an individual and as a person one of separating in some ways, while n More mature style of peer relationships
connected to valuable people and groups. maintaining and redefining connections in (stability, intimacy and supportiveness).
others, in order to make room for a more n Increasingly more balance between the
They refine their sense of identity around
adult relationship that meets cultural influence of family and peers on the young
issues such as gender, physical attributes,
expectations and provides necessary support. person.
sexuality, ethnicity. They explore issues such
as Who am I? How do I fit in? Am I loveable n Improved ability to see parents as
and loving? How am I competent? individuals and take their perspectives Meet demands of
into account.
One result of this is experimentation with increasing mature roles
different, temporary “identities” by means n Conflicts with parents often decrease and responsibilities
of alternative styles of dress, jewelry, music, with age.
Adolescents gradually take on the roles
hair, manner, and lifestyle. Teens may n Renegotiation in parent-child roles, expected of them in adulthood. They learn
struggle to identify a true self amid seeming especially for those who live at home the skills necessary for these roles and
contradictions in the way they feel and (nearly half of all U.S. young adults in their manage the multiple demands of the labor
behave in different situations, and with late teens and early twenties still live with market as well as meet expectations regarding
different levels of thought and understanding. their parents). This is important as commitment to family, community and
n Firmer sense of identity, although still a residential change is highest in late citizenship.
time of identity exploration (especially in adolescent/young adulthood than any
other age group (young people living at n Stable interests.
areas of personal relationships, education,
work, family). home, moving out and living independently n Ability to compromise.
or with peers/partners, moving back home,
n Age of feeling in-between – see themselves n Self-reliance.
etc).
as neither an adolescent nor an adult . n Greater concern for others.
Develop stable and productive n Higher level of concern for the future.
Adopt a personal
peer relationships n Thoughts about one’s role in life.
value system n Transition to work, college, independent
Peer relationships change during adolescence
Adolescents develop a more complex to provide youth with more support and living. Participation in college education in
understanding of moral behavior and connections as they spend less time with young adulthood is nonlinear – frequently
underlying principles of justice. They question adults and in supervised activity. combined with work and periods of non-
and assess beliefs from childhood and attendance in school.
restructure these beliefs into a personal Peer relationships often compete with parents
and schools in influence on teen’s attitudes n Youth in general remain in school longer
ideology (e.g. more personally meaningful
and behaviors. As networks with peers and marry later, but those from less-
values, religious views, and belief systems to
broaden, peer relationships become deeper advantaged households find it harder to
guide decisions and behavior).
and play an increasing role in shaping an adhere to an orderly and predictable
n Decisions and values are less influenced by sequence of education, full-time
individual teen’s self-concept and interaction.
peers. employment, home-leaving, cohabitation or
n Able to see multiple viewpoints, value the Adolescents experience three transformations marriage, and parenthood.
diversity of people and perspectives and in peer relationships: n Work experiences become more focused
appreciate that there can be many right 1. Reorientation of friendships from activity- on laying foundation for adult occupation
answers to a problem. based relationships of childhood to more
n Identify values and viewpoints that work for stable, affectively oriented friendships
oneself while respecting viewpoints/values based on idea and value sharing.
of others 2. Growth of romantic and sexually oriented
relationships.
3. Emergence of peer “crowds.”

This synthesis of adolescent development research was

compiled by K. Teipel of the State Adolescent Health
Resource Center, Konopka Institute, University of Minnesota.
teipe001@umn.edu
612-624-0182

The State Adolescent Health Resource Center is funded through Cooperative Agreement #U93 MC 00163-01 from the Maternal Child and Health Bureau – Health
Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services.