Adolescent Development

This groundbreaking book provides students and researchers with a unique overview of the longitudinal study of the development of young people from the ages of 12 to 25. It offers a comprehensive introduction into the multiple theories on the development of the self, personal relationships and psychopathology in adolescence, alongside a non-statistical overview of the many longitudinal models used to study development.

The book includes key topics such as the development of the self, adolescent identity and personality; the development of parent-adolescent relationships; friendships and the understanding of others; and the development of psychosocial problems such as anxiety, depression, delinquency, aggression, and substance use. Meeus highlights multiple findings showing how these processes are integrated and identifies eight fundamental patterns of adolescent development to help determine why most adolescents develop into mature and organized individuals towards the end of this life stage, whilst a substantial minority show an inability to mature.

It is essential reading for graduate students and researchers in adolescent development and anyone seeking to use longitudinal research methodology in the social and behavioral sciences.

“"I love this book; it is a fantastic description of the important discoveries and the challenging questions when studying adolescence. It describes relatively complex patterns in an understandable way, and it is unique in its kind. A book like this was not yet available and it is a must-read for everybody who is interested in the dynamics of adolescence. Wim Meeus is an authority in this research field." - Eveline Crone, Leiden University, The Netherlands "In this important book, Wim Meeus provides a comprehensive and integrative review of his internationally renowned longitudinal research on adolescent personality, self, and identity development and evaluates the findings in light of different models of adolescent development. This book is a significant achievement, and his conclusions will move the field forward." - Judi Smetana, University of Rochester, USA "During the 6-8-year span of adolescence, much happens with regard to identity, personality, parent-child relationships, friendships, and problem behaviors. What makes this book unique is that it takes the time perspective on these issues seriously. Today it is the only available textbook on adolescent development that systematically uses longitudinal data to arrive at new theoretical insights." - H”

"I love this book; it is a fantastic description of the important discoveries and the challenging questions when studying adolescence. It describes relatively complex patterns in an understandable way, and it is unique in its kind. A book like this was not yet available and it is a must-read for everybody who is interested in the dynamics of adolescence. Wim Meeus is an authority in this research field." - Eveline Crone, Leiden University, The Netherlands

"In this important book, Wim Meeus provides a comprehensive and integrative review of his internationally renowned longitudinal research on adolescent personality, self, and identity development and evaluates the findings in light of different models of adolescent development. This book is a significant achievement, and his conclusions will move the field forward." - Judi Smetana, University of Rochester, USA

"During the 6-8-year span of adolescence, much happens with regard to identity, personality, parent-child relationships, friendships, and problem behaviors. What makes this book unique is that it takes the time perspective on these issues seriously. Today it is the only available textbook on adolescent development that systematically uses longitudinal data to arrive at new theoretical insights." - Håkan Stattin, Örebro University, Sweden

Wim Meeus, Emeritus Professor of Adolescent Development at Utrecht University and of Developmental Psychology at Tilburg University, is an internationally recognized leader in the study of adolescent development.

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