Adolescence

is one of the most rapid phases of human development. Adolescence is the period of development
that begins at puberty and ends at emerging adulthood; the typical age range is from 12 to 18 years, and
this stage of development has some predictable physical milestones.

Physical Changes of Puberty

Puberty is the period of several years in which rapid physical growth and psychological changes occur,
culminating in sexual maturity. The onset of puberty typically occurs at age 10 or 11 for females and at
age 11 or 12 for males; females usually complete puberty by ages 15 to 17, while males usually finish
around ages 16 to 17. Females tend to attain reproductive maturity about four years after the first physical
changes of puberty appear. Males, however, accelerate more slowly but continue to grow for about six
years after the first visible pubertal changes. While the sequence of physical changes in puberty is
predictable, the onset and pace of puberty vary widely. Every person's individual timetable for puberty is
different and is primarily influenced by heredity; however environmental factorssuch as diet and
exercisealso exert some influence.

Hormonal Changes

Puberty involves distinctive physiological changes in an individual's height, weight, body composition, and circulatory and
adrenal glands and the sex glands matureprocesses known as adrenarche and gonadarche, respectively.

Sexual Maturation

It is this stage in life in which a child develops secondary sex characteristics. Primary sex characteristics are orga
ovaries in females and the testes in males. Secondary sex characteristics, on the other hand, are physical signs o
females, this includes development of breasts and widening of hips, while in males it includes development of facial hair a
of pubic and underarm hair, as well as increased development of sweat glands.

The male and female gonads are activated by the surge of hormones, which puts them into a state of rapid growth and d
ovaries release estrogen; the production of these hormones increases gradually until sexual maturation is met. Girls expe
around 1213 years old, and boys experience spermarche, the first ejaculation, around 1314 years old. Facial hair in ma

Physical Growth

The adolescent growth spurt is a rapid increase in an individual's height and weight during puberty resulting from the simu
androgens. Males experience their growth spurt about two years later than females. The accelerated growth in different bo
has a fairly regular sequence. The first places to grow are the extremities (head, hands, and feet), followed by the arms an
growth is one reason why an adolescent body may seem out of proportion. During puberty, bones become harder and m

Before puberty, there are nearly no differences between males and females in the distribution of fat and muscle. During pu
females experience a higher increase in body fat. The ratio between muscle and fat in post-pubertal males is around 1:3
increase in both size and capacity during puberty; these changes contribute to increased strength and tolerance for exerc

Brain Development

The adolescent brain also remains under development during this time. Adolescents often engage in increased risk-taking
puberty; this may be due to the fact that the frontal lobes of their brainswhich are responsible for judgment, impulse co
(Casey, Tottenham, Liston, & Durston, 2005).