ADOLESCENCE & ADULTNESS
"...revolutionary"
"...a landmark book"
"...profoundly important"
Winner of the San Diego Book Award
Working with colleague Diane Dumas, Dr. Robert Epstein, a longtime researcher and professor and the former editor-in-chief of Psychology Today, has developed a unique and comprehensive test—the Epstein-Dumas Test of Adultness (EDTA)—that measures 14 different competencies that appear to define adult functioning in modern society.
"Adolescence is a social experiment
that failed. Dr. Epstein's book traces the
history of the problem, demonstrates
with unrelenting perseverance that much of
the turmoil of our teens is a creation of
our culture, and offers a specific and
detailed proposal for getting our young
people back on track. If you are concerned
about America's young—and about
America's future—this is a must-read."
Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the
United States House of Representatives and
Founder of the Center for Health Transformation
Based on scores obtained from tens of thousands of adults and teens, Dr. Epstein recently concluded that many teens are as competent or more competent than adults—and that adults greatly underestimate the abilities of teens. Epstein and Dumas have also demonstrated a link between "infantilization"—the extent to which teens are treated like children—and behavioral problems in teens.
NEW! To preview TEEN 2.0: Saving Our Children and Families from the Torment of Adolescence (an updated, expanded version of The Case Against Adolesence), click here. To read about the first annual National Youth Rights Day, click here. To view Dr. Epstein's new Young Person's Bill of Rights, click here. To hear a new interview with Dr. Epstein about Teen 2.0 on Minnesota Public Radio, click here.
"Dr. Epstein's ideas about teens are revolu-
tionary. Many of our teens today have serious
problems, and if Dr. Epstein is right, those
problems are largely of our own making. His book
will bring our ideas about teens down to earth."
Buzz Aldrin, Ph.D. (Col., USAF, ret.),
Apollo 11 Astronaut
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These and related issues are explored in a recent book by Dr. Epstein, The Case Against Adolescence, soon to released in a new expanded edition entitled Teen 2.0: Saving Our Children and Families from the Torment of Adolescence. To see a video of Dr. Epstein speaking about adolescence on "The O'Reilly Factor," click here. Click here to download an interview about the book from Psychology Today magazine. To see a 16-minute interview with Dr. Epstein about The Case Against Adolescence on Canadian television, click here. If you're a media professional or parent, click here to download a set of questions and answers about the book.
“Here are America’s youth, regarded
keenly, knowingly–with many popular
assumptions and notions set aside in favor
of an accurate and thoughtful portrayal
of our young fellow citizens, and too, many of
the rest of us, who may fail them by overlooking
their achievements and possibilities.”
Robert Coles, M.D., professor of psychiatry,
Harvard University; recipient, Pulitzer Prize
For Dr. Epstein's recent essay in Education Week, "Let's Abolish High School," click here. For Dr. Epstein's recent essay in Scientific American Mind, "The Myth of the Teen Brain," click here. To listen to a 20-minute interview with Dr. Epstein about the book on the "Glenn and Helen Show," click here. If you're an educator interested in adopting the book for a course, email Quill Driver Books and request an Executive Summary of the book, which includes detailed chapter summaries. To order an autographed copy at the cover price of $24.95, click here (USA only).
“By shielding and protecting young people
from adulthood, we have isolated them from
their elders, from their spiritual roots, and
from their heritage, leaving many of them
angry and confused in the spiritually empty
world of teen culture. We need to reexamine
our basic assumptions about young people,
and Epstein shows us how.”
Deepak Chopra, M.D., author, Life After Death:
The Burden of Proof
Dr. Epstein is currently analyzing data from more than 30,000 people between ages 9 and 83 who have taken his online test of adultness (http://HowAdultAreYou.com). These new data confirm his earlier finding: that many teens are at least as competent as adults across a wide range of competencies. The new data also show a positive relationship between scores on the test and measures of happiness, personal success, and professional success.
Praise for THE CASE AGAINST ADOLESCENCE:
ALBERT ELLIS: “...one of the most revolutionary books I have ever read.” (from the Foreword)
NEWT GINGRICH: “If you are concerned about America's young—and about
America's future—this is a must-read.”
M. SCOTT PECK: “...has vast consequence for our society.”
JOYCE BROTHERS: “…a profoundly important book.”
BUZZ ALDRIN: “This book will bring our ideas about teens down to earth.”
DEEPAK CHOPRA: “We need to reexamine our basic assumptions about young people, and Epstein shows us how.”
ROBERT COLES: “Here are America’s youth, regarded keenly, knowingly....”
LEON BOTSTEIN: “...a vital book for parents and policy makers on the state and federal levels”
MARIEL HEMINGWAY: “This book has opened my eyes….”
MIHALY CSIKSZENTMIHALYI: “...a very original approach, sure to ignite discussion and controversy.”
ALVIN TOFFLER: “If you care about the future of our young people, The Case Against Adolescence is an essential read.”
DREW PINSKY: “...a landmark book”
SUZANNE SOMERS: “Dr. Epstein makes a good case for adolescents to be treated not as a group with a formula, but as individual unique people.”
JEAN LIEDLOFF: “...a powerful case”
ELLEN LANGER: “His arguments deserve serious consideration and open debate.”
JOHN TAYLOR GATTO: “Whether you’re a parent, a teacher, a policy maker, or a recovering victim of enforced childishness, you need to read this book.”
CURTIS SLIWA: “…an amazing book, long overdue.”
STARRED REVIEW IN THE MAY 2007 LIBRARY JOURNAL:
*Epstein, Robert. The Case Against Adolescence: Rediscovering the Adult in Every Teen. Quill Driver. May 2007. c.512p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-1-884956-70-6. $24.95. SOC SCI
Time to abolish adolescence so argues Epstein, former editor in chief of Psychology Today and host of the Sirius Satellite Radio show "Psyched!," in this extensive, groundbreaking book. He claims that teenagers are capable and should be given responsibilities the moment they're ready. Globally, teens in preindustrial countries are already integrated into responsible, adult society, and teen problems as we know them do not exist. Only in Western industrialized countries are teens isolated from adults through education and laws. American teens are overly dependent on drugs and alcohol, obsessed with their appearance, careless about sex, and moody/depressed/angry. This large volume covers it all, especially the positives: what kids can do, what decisions they should be making. For example, in the field of education, Epstein advocates shorter compulsory school hours, mandatory education for basics only, more individualized instruction, and an end to age segregation. Epstein's credentials and research are extensive; his arguments, persuasive. He is an astute observer of the world around him, especially its do-nothing adolescents. Sure to generate much discussion.
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Adolescence 
