Adolescence

:This article is about a stage of life. For the punk band, see The Adolescents.

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Adolescence is the transitional stage of development between childhood and full adulthood, representing the period of time during which a person is biologically adult but emotionally not at full maturity. The ages which are considered to be part of adolescence vary by culture. In the United States, adolescence is generally considered to begin around age 12-13, and end at 17-18. By contrast, the World Health Organization (WHO) defines adolescence as the period of life between 10 and 20 years of age.

Related Topics:
Childhood - Adulthood - United States - World Health Organization

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"Adolescence" is a cultural and social phenomenon and therefore its endpoints are not easily tied to physical milestones. The word derives from the Latin verb adolescere meaning "to grow up." The time is identified with dramatic changes in the body, along with developments in a person's psychology and academic career. In the onset of adolescence, children usually complete elementary school and enter secondary education, such as middle school or high school.

Related Topics:
Latin - Elementary school - Secondary education

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During this period of life, most children go through the physical stages of puberty, which often begins between the ages of nine and thirteen. Most cultures regard people as becoming adults at various ages of the teenage years. For example, Jewish tradition considers males to be adult members of the community at age 13 and females at age 12, and this transition is celebrated in the Bat Mitzvah for girls, and the Bar Mitzvah for boys. Usually, there is a formal age of majority when adolescents formally become adults. For example, Japan's celebration of this is called seijin shiki ("coming of age").

Related Topics:
Puberty - Jewish - Bat Mitzvah - Age of majority - Seijin shiki

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