Srinagar, June 24 -- A Stage of Life That Shapes Us Forever

Almost everyone remembers adolescence as one of the most intense periods of life.

The teenage years are often marked by heightened emotions, uncertainty, idealism, self-consciousness and a growing awareness of the complexities of the world. It is a period when many people begin asking deeper questions about who they are, what they believe and where they fit into society.

Psychologists, biologists and philosophers have proposed a wide range of explanations for why this stage of life can be so challenging. While these theories differ in important ways, they all attempt to explain a universal experience: the transition from childhood to adulthood.

Erik Erikson and the Search for...