[Psychological aspects of different forms of puberty]

The somato-psychic development in puberty should not be described isolated. It has to be brought in connexion with childhood on the one side and the age of the young adults on the other side. Puberty and adolescence generally are not used as synonyms. They accord with two different stages of development, succeeding one another between childhood and adulthood. They take a different, either harmonious or synchronous course. An asynchronism is often partial cause for a puberal crisis. Besides, one has to consider phenomenons like retardation or acceleration of development. These special kinds of development are illustrated by examples with two retarded adolescents. On the end, the author takes briefly up some therapeutical possibilities.