ABSTRACT
The move from adolescence to adulthood is enormously dependent on the social class and the cultural background of each particular individual. In many cultures marriage is an engagement that characterises adulthood, while in others some religious sects see women as fit for marriage from early adolescence, or arrange marriages for their sons whatever their age. When a late adolescent or young adult is diagnosed as having a mental disorder, it is likely that he will hope to count on the support of his parents. It is conceivable that some parents will dismiss this diagnosis, protesting against the “medicalisation of human sentiments” and, in some cases, adding that the supposed “mental illness” is no more than the type of personality the youngster has always had. In theoretical psychoanalytic terms, “aggression” refers to conscious and unconscious feelings, whether these are acted upon or, instead, kept under control, even though influencing the general emotional experience and behaviour of the adolescent.
