A complete list of all reports considered appears in the Appendix . This synthesis draws from a wide range of types of reports produced by the National Academies, including committee reports that include conclusions and recommendations developed over several years, workshop reports that summarize meetings on specific topics, and other documents that reflect work carried out by experts on the topic of adolescence. Our goal in developing this synthesis on adolescence was not to produce a comprehensive or representative review of all recent research on adolescence, nor to offer conclusions or recommendations, but rather to provide a starting point for the forum's work on this important period in human development. The social context in which adolescents are developing has changed markedly during the past decade. Families in U.S. society have also experienced dramatic changes.
Adolescent development does benefit from the support of a variety of social institutions.
Specific strategies can be employed to promote the health and well-being of adolescents. Adolescents are increasingly joining the U.S. workforce. Dramatic sociodemographic changes are anticipated in the 21st century, including a great increase in the number of adolescents, as well as increasing cultural diversity within this age group. In the pages that follow, we amplify these themes with findings gleaned from the reports examined. In only a few areas are data from outside sources incorporated into this report.