Research has examined what is unique about adolescence; discrepancies between what is known and prevailing views that suggest the public has a biased view of the status of youth; what explains whether an individual adolescent will experience a troubled or a successful phase of life; and what other issues should be studied in the near future. These issues contribute to a general impression that the status of youth is changing in the direction of greater stress and less confidence in the future. Possible explanations for this phenomenon include: (1) decline of occupational opportunities; (2) rising levels of material wants; (3) stagnation or decline of adolescents' health; (4) urbanization of society; (5) changing family structure; (6) the drug epidemic; (7) decline in pubertal age; and (8) ambiguity of expectations and responsibilities. References