[Little heroes in distress].

How does a child grow up to be a "real boy" and which messages does he receive from his parents and other adults to become a young man? Focus is on information concerning the physical and mental health of an adolescent male and his desires, fears and sexual experiences. Last but by no means least spotlight is on how adults appreciate and deal with the needs and anxieties of a youngster or "little hero". Particular attention centers on the problem of forcing youngsters into a malehood characterised by fearlessness and an intrepid attitude, by banking on their sex-specific fears of not being rated as "real young boys" because they may be losers in some instances where they are expected to be aggressive or where they experience sorrow and a desire for tenderness. Such demands made on adolescent boys by an inconsiderate environment can have incalculable consequences on their psychosocial potentials and on their physical and mental health and well-being.