Adolescence is a transitional period marked by substantial changes in physical maturation, cognitive abilities and social interactions, usually associated with puberty and the transition from childhood into legal adulthood and citizenship. There have been many differing psychological theories of adolescence over the last hundred years. This article investigates the theories connected with adolescence, identity formation and transitions to adulthood based on the literature and prior work on

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... and social capital and youth work transitions. One perspective on the topic comes from James Côté's identity capital theory, as informed by comparative research on the identities of postsecondary students in Finland, Japan and Northern American. This paper discusses different cultural meanings of adolescence, as well as the obstacles and opportunities that have impact on adolescent identity formation and transition to adulthood, with particular reference to the increasing time spent by young people with digital media such as video streams, messaging, blogs or social media. This article will point out some structural opportunities for adolescents in their transition to adulthood and how these affect contemporary adolescence.