Participants from this group conveyed a sense of leaving their youth and not yet being "adult". Responses were quite thoughtful, with references to freedom related to completing education, driving and leaving home. Wisdom gained through ageing was the strongest theme expressed by this group. The second most frequent theme in the comments of this age group centred around physical changes in a visual context such as wrinkles and loss of youthfulness. This group also conveyed strong comments about ageing bringing greater self-acceptance and confidence. Ageing was seen as something far off in the future.
"I am excited and optimistic about ageing - to a certain extent that is. Ageing is terribly sad in that you lose people very important to you."
Female, 16