The seminar question on the preceding topic page posits that adolescence begins at the age of 12 and ends at the age of 18. This is consistent with the roughly six-year stages of child/youth growth and development that most developmental psychologists have long subscribed to:
- early childhood (ages 0 - 6) -> demarcated by birth
- middle childhood (ages 6 - 12) -> demarcated by the loss of the milk teeth (around age 6)
- adolescence (ages 12 - 18) -> demarcated by the onset of puberty (around age 12)
However, some developmental and educational psychologists argue that adolescence in fact begins earlier (age 10) and/or ends later (age 24).
Notably, most of the students in this course are under the age of 24, so you may have a particular interest in this question. Read the following article from the BBC:
Silver, Katie. (2018).
'Adolescence now lasts from 10 to 24' BBC. January 19. URL: https://www.bbc.com/news/health-42732442
