EARLY ADULTIZATION: A CRITICAL NARRATIVE REVIEW OF A MULTIFACTORIAL PHENOMENON IN CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE
Keywords:
Adultization, Childhood, Adolescence, Early Sexualization, Mental HealthAbstract
Early adultization is a historical and multifactorial phenomenon that has become increasingly evident in contemporary societies. This study aimed to critically analyze the concept of adultization in children and adolescents, considering its historical background, aesthetic, digital, and chemical manifestations, as well as psychosocial and health implications. It consists of a critical narrative review, interdisciplinary in nature, based on indexed literature (1980–2025), including historical, sociological, medical, and psychological studies. The results indicate that adultization persists in new, more sophisticated and diffuse forms, expressed through media eroticization, early digital device ownership, aesthetic consumption, and exposure to endocrine disruptors. Consequences include anxiety, depression, eating disorders, body image distortions, early pregnancy, and higher suicide risk among adolescents. We conclude that public policies, regulation of cosmetics and media industries, and strengthening of family education are essential to mitigate the impacts of adultization and protect integral development.
