Five images of maturity in adolescence: what does 'grown up' mean?

This study focussed on the subjective meanings of maturity in adolescence, or what it means to adolescents to be grown up. Younger (6th grade) and older (9th grade) adolescents' descriptions (n=236) of their "grown-up" peers were examined through content analysis. This qualitative analysis revealed five images of maturity portrayed by adolescents: balanced maturity (adolescents who show psychosocial and behavioural maturity, and ability to balance work and play); an image focussed on privileges (adolescents who engage in problem behaviour and present what may be a facade of adult-like behaviour); an image focussed on responsibility (adolescents who may be psychosocially mature, but may have taken on inappropriately high levels of responsibility); an image focussed on power and status (adolescents who seem to have usurped an older status, by being bossy and controlling); and an image focussed on physical development (adolescents who show advanced levels of physical maturity). There were some gender and age differences in the frequencies of these five images. Discussion is directed at understanding the hallmarks of each image relative to scholarly notions of adult maturity.