Adolescence, social development, and psychotherapy

Based on a clinical theory that guides an interpersonal approach to adolescent psychotherapy, the author advances the proposal that there is a developmental sequence of the capacity for relatedness from early to late adolescence: from a stage of Detachment in Relatedness through Disappointment in Relatedness to Mature Relatedness. In this paper, evidence from several broad-based studies of the social development of normal adolescents is presented in support of this proposal. These studies have attempted to track the developmental changes in intimacy, peer conformity, and qualities of friendship.