CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Adolescence period is characterized by emotional, intellectual,physical, social and sexual changes and the individual is faced with variouschallenges. Adolescence according to Conger, Kegan and Mussen (2004) is aperiod of transition between childhood and adulthood. It is considered to lastfrom ages 10 to 19 and from puberty to full biological /physiologicalmaturation. Within this time frame, adolescents are affected by variousdevelopmental transformations including physical, emotional, and socialchanges. With these changes come many responsibilities and privileges that aredifferent from those of childhood or full adulthood, and these aspects ultimatelydefine the period of adolescence.

The word adolescence has it’s origin and meaning from Latinperspective. In Latin, it implies “to grow into maturity” (Eke, 1989). The authorfurther noted that the common denominator in all adolescents experiences,irrespective of cultural variations, is the biological change from childhood intomature adult status capable of reproduction. According to Eke, during thisperiod, remarkable physical changes take place. Boys and girls experience aspurt in growth. A sharp increase in height for girls at the ages of 11 and 13 andin boys between 13 and 15. There is the presence of growth spurt which leads tothe development of primary and secondary sex characteristics. Nworah, (2004)has it that adolescence is a period of rapid transitional or developmental12changes from childhood to adulthood. It is a period when the physical andphysiological change that accompany the transition from childhood toadulthood become manifest and continues into adulthood. Adolescence as notedby Unachukwu and Ebenebe (2009) cover the age of 12 or 13 till the earlytwenties.