Adolescent Health and Development

This course will examine underlying changes in adolescent and young adult physical, cognitive, social, and sexual development, how these changes influence the emerging sense of identity, autonomy, and intimacy, and the consequences of these developmental changes in everyday functioning for adolescents in modern societies. Adolescence is a period of great changes in all these domains, and a time when many cognitive, emotional, and behavioral patterns of adulthood are established. Our focus is on typical development of young people; the contexts in which adolescents move, including family, friends and peers, and school; attention to health care and other systems and the factors and resources needed to achieve health and well-being; and global public health issues related to adolescents and young adults.