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A Child's World: Infancy through Adolescence, 9/e
Diane E. Papalia, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Sally Wendkos Olds
Ruth Duskin Feldman

Physical Development and Health in Adolescence

Glossary


adolescence  developmental transition between childhood and adulthood entailing major physical, cognitive, and psychosocial changes.
adolescent growth spurt  sharp increase in height and weight that precedes sexual maturity.
adrenarche  maturation of adrenal glands.
anorexia nervosa  eating disorder characterized by self-starvation.
bulimia nervosa  eating disorder in which a person regularly eats huge quantities of food and then purges the body by laxatives, induced vomiting, fasting, or excessive exercise.
gateway drugs  drugs such as alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana, the use of which tends to lead to use of more addictive drugs.
gonadarche  maturation of the testes or ovaries.
menarche  girl's first menstruation.
primary sex characteristics  organs directly related to reproduction, which enlarge and mature during adolescence.
puberty  process by which a person attains sexual maturity and the ability to reproduce.
secondary sex characteristics  physiological signs of sexual maturation (such as breast development and growth of body hair) that do not involve the sex organs.
secular trend  trend that can be seen only by observing several generations, such as the trend toward earlier attainment of adult height and sexual maturity, which began a century ago.
sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)  diseases spread by sexual contact.
spermarache  boy's first ejaculation.
substance abuse  repeated, harmful use of a substance, usually alcohol or other drugs.
substance dependence  addiction (physical or psychological, or both) to a harmful substance.