Paediatricscommon
A 15-year-old boy is brought to a general practice by his exasperated mother. Over the past year he has argued about every household rule, dyed his hair, spends every weekend with a new group of friends and dismisses her opinions out of hand, yet is visibly distressed on the rare occasion the group leaves him out. Last month he was a passenger in a car driven at speed by a friend and told her afterwards that nothing was going to happen. His schoolwork, sleep, mood and physical health are unchanged. Which one of the following best characterises his current developmental stage?