Adolescent refers to a person who is experiencing the period of development between childhood and adulthood. This period is often called adolescence. Many experts in human development believe adolescence begins at about the age of 10. They recognize adolescence as a period of growth with many distinctive features. These features involve changes in the individual's body, thinking abilities, psychological concerns, and place in society.
Human beings, like all mammals, go through a series of physical and biological changes, called puberty, that prepares them for sexual reproduction. As a biological phenomenon, therefore, adolescence has always existed as a period in human development. However, adolescence as a separate psychological and social stage is a concept that was developed in industrialized nations during the mid-1800's.
