Psychology

Adolescent storm and stress, reconsidered

Document Type

Article

Abstract

G. S. Hall's (1904) view that adolescence is a period of heightened "storm and stress" is reconsidered in light of contemporary research. The author provides a brief history of the storm-and-stress view and examines 3 key aspects of this view: conflict with parents, mood disruptions, and risk behavior. In all 3 areas, evidence supports a modified storm-and-stress view that takes into account individual differences and cultural variations. Not all adolescents experience storm and stress, but storm and stress is more likely during adolescence than at other ages. Adolescent storm and stress tends to be lower in traditional cultures than in the West but may increase as globalization increases individualism. Similar issues apply to minority cultures in American society. Finally, although the general public is sometimes portrayed by scholars as having a stereotypical view of adolescent storm and stress, both scholars and the general public appear to support a modified storm-and-stress view.

Publication Title

American Psychologist

Publication Date

1999

Volume

54

Issue

5

First Page

317

Last Page

326

ISSN

0003-066X

DOI

10.1037/0003-066X.54.5.317

Keywords

adolescence, adolescent psychology, G. Stanley Hall

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