Transitions (Symposium)

Psychological development is characterised by transitions. These encompass both the changes that occur within the social and cognitive development of the child and adolescent and the adaptations that are made to the challenges of everyday life that confront all individuals. The significance of transition points in life has long been recognised by psychological theorists of many orientations and a common acknowledgement is that these challenges may be met with varying degrees of success. For the individual that engages with and successfully negotiates these challenges the end result may be improved adaptation, increased competence and feelings of efficacy. But the outcomes may be less sanguine for the individual overwhelmed by these challenges. For these individuals, additional difficulties may be experienced and the development of a variety of coping strategies, of variable effectiveness, may be necessary. The papers in this symposium are empirical studies that address the issue of transitions at several points throughout the lifespan, from pre-school through to adulthood, examine factors that affect the course of engagement and adaptation to the challenges of transitions, and consider the variety and effectiveness of approaches to intervention that may be used to support individuals in the process or aftermath or significant transitions.