Adolescence is both a challenge and a delight. It is a time when new
opportunities present that allow the development of new relationships, new skills
and a growing sense of independence and self. However, it can also be a time of
challenge as individuals need to negotiate more complex and differentiated social
and family relationships, issues of values and attitudes come to the fore, and
questions about identity and the future become more apparent. On the whole
research has concluded that most adolescents navigate this stage of life with few
difficulties, but a minority do find this stage of life challenging, and their ways of
coping may have negative consequences for both themselves and others.