Definition of Adolescence 7 The Definition of Adolescence: One Term Fails to Adequately Define This Diverse Time Period

The term adolescence is commonly understood to define the period of life between childhood and adulthood (Kaplan, 2004, p. 1). This time frame, however, not only describes a very diverse reality, but adolescence varies considerably across cultures, over time, and within individuals. Therefore, one developmental term or stage marked “adolescence ” clearly fails to provide the best frame of reference for this diversely experienced developmental period of life. Western culture, for example, defines adolescence as the time period from puberty to age 18 or 21, but non-Western cultures tend to mark the beginning of adulthood with rites of passage often following the onset of puberty. These rites mark the end of an individual’s childhood and his or her acceptance into adult society. Likewise, adolescence has not always lasted until age 18 or 21, even within our own culture. For example, prior to the Industrial Revolution, the family functioned as an inclusive unit; thus, the transition from childhood to adulthood was relatively short. As children performed adult tasks, they became adults as early as age 13 (Sisson, Herson, & Van Hasselt, 1987). Last, among teens themselves, adolescence is experienced differently by individuals of the same biological age. Experiences and physical maturation are not the same for all teens. The age of onset of puberty, th