| 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 and extreme weight loss.
|
|
|
|
| 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.
|
|
|
|
| gonadarche | Maturation of 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.
|
|
|
|
| spermarche | 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.
|