What is "grown-up legitimacy"?

Question

Especially in this sentence:"In part, child/adolescent therapists, in their struggle for grown-up legitimacy, are afraid to innovate."

Answer 1

Given that legitimacy is a validity afforded to individuals satisfying some characteristics, it would seem that the therapists would eschew innovative experimentation for fear of losing that validity in the eyes of their adolescent patient. In regular-speak, the therapist would lose the often only remaining respect that their patient has for them if they don't keep a consistent appearance of knowing everything already that they get from merely being a "grown-up".

Answer 2

I believe growing up walks hand in hand with maturity. When you say "someone changes completely, have they truly 'grown up'", you have to look at what the change is, cause not all change is good change. So when somebody changes it could mean they've become more of a dick and more immature or it could mean that they've become more knowledgeable, hence they've become more mature, so, to answer the question, when someone changes completely, it depends on the person, if they truly "grown up". The second part of your question; "or have they just admitted that they never actually had a connection to whatever they've grown up from in the first place?", I don't quite understand, people are constantly evolving and changing in likes and dislikes, for example, when I was younger, I was more into rock music than rap, but as I grew, I grew more into rap, I truly believe that at one point I did have a connection with rock, I just believe my likes and dislikes have evolved. Same for every other aspect of life if you think about it: Bicycles to Cars; Soccer to Football; etc... probably not the best examples, but you get my drift. Every child has a connection with their hobbies right now, and they'll have a connection with different hobbies 20 years from now. "during your late teens to early 20s, shouldn't you be shaping what you enjoy?", yes, of course, agree with you 100%, that is the time where you really find out who you are. But you're constantly growing, whether you believe it or not, everyday, you're learning something new man. Btw, I want whatever it is you're smoking. BQ: What kind of chips?