The decline of the socialist governments in Eastern and Central Europe and the resulting political and economic reorganizations of the 1990s provided a dramatic illustration of the far-reaching effects of social change. This important volume considers the processes through which societal changes exert an impact on the course of adolescent development and adolescents' social and psychological adjustment. Additionally, several chapters identify individual and contextual factors that can modify the impact of social change and enhance the likelihood of a successful transition to adulthood. Chapter authors include a diverse group of social scientists from Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States.