Identity Development in Adolescents and Young Adults
Summary
Identity development during adolescence and emerging adulthood encompasses the processes by which individuals explore, commit to and integrate values, beliefs and roles to form a coherent sense of self. This period is marked by increasing autonomy, evolving peer and family relationships, and encounters with diverse cultural and digital environments. Healthy identity progression involves adaptive exploration—both in breadth and in depth—and the consolidation of commitments that provide stability and direction. Conversely, maladaptive patterns such as ruminative exploration and diffusion can undermine psychological well-being. Contemporary research highlights the dynamic interplay between daily experiences, narrative meaning-making and sociocultural context in shaping identity trajectories. Understanding these processes has global significance for educational policy, mental health interventions and youth empowerment programmes that foster resilience and positive self-definition across diverse populations.
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Identity Development in Adolescents and Young Adults publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in identity development in adolescents and young adults across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Exploration in breadth: The process of surveying a wide range of identity options before making choices.
Exploration in depth: The focused examination of already chosen commitments to assess their personal significance.
Ruminative exploration: Repetitive and distressing contemplation of identity alternatives that impedes resolution.
Commitment: The personal investment in selected values, roles or beliefs providing stability and a sense of direction.
References
- Adolescent identity development in context. Current Opinion in Psychology (2021).
- Adolescents’ Identity Formation: Linking the Narrative and the Dual-Cycle Approach. Journal of Youth and Adolescence (2019).
- Daily Identity Dynamics in Adolescence Shaping Identity in Emerging Adulthood: An 11-Year Longitudinal Study on Continuity in Development. Journal of Youth and Adolescence (2021).
- The role of identity in the development of depressive, anxiety and psychosis symptoms in adolescents exposed to childhood adversity: a process-oriented approach. BMC Psychiatry (2025).
- Identity Matters for Well-Being: The Longitudinal Associations Between Identity Processes and Well-Being in Adolescents with Different Cultural Backgrounds. Journal of Youth and Adolescence (2023).
- There Goes My Hero: The Role of Exemplars in Identity Formation. Human Development (2023).
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