Adolescent Identity, Social and Emotional Development

The development of an integrated identity is a critical activity during adolescence. An increasing amount of scholarly literature diverges from the traditional emphasis on identity change at the average level. Conversely, this paper explores the underlying mechanisms of identity construction at the micro level, or intraindividual, referring to the individual’s current experiences and interpersonal connections. Furthermore, life transitions and events, alongside the accumulation of real-time experiences, have the potential to impact identities. Exceptional familial and friendship connections, which facilitate constructive narrative formation, are essential for the ideal formation of an individual’s sense of self (Santrock, 2016).

Branje et al. (2021) state that identity formation during adolescence encompasses three distinct phases of development. An age range of 11 to 13 years is considered early adolescence, 14 to 16 years is intermediate adolescence, and 17 to 19 years is late adolescence. The occurrence of common trends at each stage signifies the progress and maturation of the individual. A perception of identity struggles is prevalent among individuals during the early stages of adolescent development.

External factors frequently influence the process of self-discovery during early adolescence. Adolescents are more preoccupied with assessing themselves and their identities during the middle stage of adolescence. This phenomenon is evident on online networking platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr, where the minimum registration age is 13, and 46.4% of all users fall within that age range (Green et al., 2021).

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Emotional and social development are intricately connected. Emotional expression (the capacity to effectively communicate about one’s emotions) and emotional regulation (the ability to maintain emotional control) are both essential components of fruitful and successful interpersonal relationships (Branje et al., 2021). In addition, adolescents’ capacity to comprehend others’ desires, requirements, emotions, and incentives is a further way advanced cognitive development improves the calibre of interpersonal connections. Therefore, it should not be surprising that adolescents’ social relationships are similarly complex as their thoughts, feelings, and identities evolve throughout adolescence.

During their journey to uncover their authentic selves via physical and emotional maturation, adolescents experience immense stress. Adolescents encounter diverse environments from an early age, where they are allowed to manifest their individuality in manners that may be drastically dissimilar. In contrast to their reserved and introverted nature in their personal lives and family, children may exhibit extreme extroversion in a new setting such as school. While still developing and learning outside of the classroom, adolescents are at an especially receptive stage of development. Sadowski (2021) asserts that with appropriate guidance and support during adolescence, it is possible to foster the development of robust self-awareness, agency, and autonomy.

According to (to Santrock, 2016), identity formation is adolescence’s significant psychological issue. As formal and operational reasoning progresses, adolescents often confront the inquiry, “Who am I?” This developmental stage is accompanied by the emergence of adolescent self-awareness and the ability to evaluate one’s attributes and actions. This stage includes inquiries regarding individuals’ dispositions, interests, political and social views, sexual orientation, educational attainment, career aspirations and preferences, and employment credentials.

Green et al. (2021) posit that the developmental phase encompasses experimentation, exploration, and uncertainty, as well as the exploration of one’s identity and living trajectory. According to Sadowsi (2021), a significant proportion of adolescents experience a psychological moratorium, wherein they momentarily suspend their dedication to a particular identity to contemplate alternative options. An enhanced sense of unity in one’s self-perception ensues from this inquiry.

A progressive improvement in perceiving, evaluating, and regulating emotions characterizes healthy emotional development. This phenomenon is biological and primarily governed by environmental, physical, and cognitive changes(Branje et al., 2021). Although adolescents generally develop a heightened awareness of their own and others’ emotions, these perceptions may remain nascent. Adolescents may find it difficult to maintain emotional composure in a complex environment, even though