Adolescent psychosocial development: A review of longitudinal models and research

W.H.J. Meeus

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

183 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

[Correction Notice: An Erratum for this article was reported in Vol 53(3) of Developmental Psychology (see record 2017-03883-001). In the article, several headings were inadvertently set at the wrong level. The headings are presented in the correction, and the online version of the article has been corrected.]
This review used 4 types of longitudinal models (descriptive models, prediction models, developmental sequence models and longitudinal mediation models) to identify regular patterns of psychosocial development in adolescence. Eight patterns of adolescent development were observed across countries: (1) adolescent maturation in multiple developmental domains; (2) heterogeneous continuity of personal relationships; (3) good goes together with good, and bad with bad, across time in adolescence; (4) parents transmit values and behaviors to their adolescent children over time; (5) adolescent psychopathology leads to erosion of personal relationships with parents and peers; (6) adolescent psychopathology prevents adolescent independence from parents; (7) parental interference in personal issues of adolescents has counterproductive effects over time; (8) mood variability and (social and personal) uncertainty are mechanisms that maintain psychopathology in adolescence. Principles of life span developmental psychology are used to discuss adolescent maturation, and a developmental contextual perspective is used to discuss links between the various developmental patterns. Strengths and limitations of the various longitudinal models, and links between longitudinal and experimental research are discussed.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1969-1993
JournalDevelopmental Psychology
Volume52
Issue number12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2016

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