This book explores the central importance of adolescents' own activities in their development. This focus harkens back to Jean Piaget's genetic epistemology and provides a theoretically coherent vision of what makes adolescence a distinctive period of development, with unique opportunities and vulnerabilities. An interdisciplinary and international group of contributors explore how adolescents integrate neurological, cognitive, personal, interpersonal and social systems aspects of development into more organized systems.

“Piaget would not have been surprised by the adolescents of the 21st century. In this worthy addition to the distinguished Jean Piaget Symposium Series, the editors begin with a Piagetian vision of adolescents as rational agents and active contributors to their own development, which is seen as a constructive process of coordination and reflection. The authors proceed in a variety of disciplinary, theoretical, and empirical directions, so there’s plenty for everyone in this diverse collection.”
–David Moshman

"...Overall, the book highlights adolescents' coordinating activities in support of their own development as a constructivist process worthy of continued research.... Highly recommended..."
--L. E. Barnes-Young, American Military University, CHOICE