Individual development: A longitudinal perspective

Abstract

This report is a presentation of a longitudinal research programme which was established at the Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, in 1965 under the title of Individual Development and Adjustment (IDA). It briefly summarizes the interactional theoretical background and presents sub‐projects on (a) biological maturation and social development in girls, (b) educational and occupational careers of girls, (c) social development in boys, and (d) biological factors and antisocial behaviour in a developmental perspective. Methodological and ethical issues are discussed and the importance of longitudinal research for understanding the process of individual development is strongly emphasized.