The Cause of Adolescents
After the great success of The Cause of Children, Françoise Dolto wrote The Cause of Adolescents (1988), where she continued her analysis of the maturation of the human being, transferring it to adolescence.
During this difficult, sometimes painful period of life, when the personality is built, when the adolescents are looking for themselves, wandering and experimenting, parents, teachers and society as a whole have a huge responsibility to support them, to help them move more painlessly to adulthood. With her inherent sensitivity, Dolto addresses the problems of young people, calling for respect for their personalities and freedom, for confidence in their strengths and capabilities - and for legislative measures to expand their rights.
The Cause of Adolescents, a fundamental work that the great psychoanalyst completed shortly before her death, puts the finishing touches on a life devoted to science and personality.
Françoise Dolto

Françoise Dolto (1908–1988) was a famous “doctor of child-rearing” known for her special insight into childhood, her sense of humor, and her unique talent for explaining psychoanalytic theory in simple terms. Dolto’s work significantly helped to change the status of children in modern society. By the time of her death, the versatile psychoanalyst had produced an abundant literature including theoretical texts for specialists and articles for the general public. All of Dolto’s writings, plus many unpublished texts and audio and video recordings made during her lectures and radio broadcasts, are now held at the Françoise Dolto Archives in Paris, France.
This site, open to internet users the world over in French, English, and Spanish, is designed to be a tool for everyone interested in Dolto’s theoretical and clinical research—parents, students, doctors, social workers, youth workers, and so on.
Along with a detailed biography of Dolto, the site contains an original album of photos. Under "Maisons Vertes", you’ll find a description and addresses of infant-and-parent "nurture centers". The site also features a list of documents held by the Archives, plus the latest news on publications, activities, and training based on Dolto’s work.