This volume brings together a team of leading psychologists to provide a state-of-the-art overview of adolescent development. The contributions cover a wide range of topics, including those currently of most importance to basic or applied research and policy formulation. The chapters are organised into sections on basic processes, contexts, psychosocial functions, relational experiences, and problem behavior. Each contribution provides a cutting-edge review of theory and research in a particular subfield of adolescence. Each chapter also includes some analysis of gender and sex differences, moderating influences due to socio-economic status, cultural or ethnic issues, and genetic factors. All chapters conclude with a summary and a bibliography of related topics. The Handbook forms the ideal basis for a university course on adolescence and serves as a useful reference for faculty wishing to keep up-to-date with the latest developments in the field. Further, parents of adolescents may find the material informative of the nature of adolescence.