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On the Progression and Stability of Adolescent Identity Formation: A Five‐Wave Longitudinal Study in Early‐to‐Middle and Middle‐to‐Late Adolescence
Author(s) -
Meeus Wim,
Van De Schoot Rens,
Keijsers Loes,
Schwartz Seth J.,
Branje Susan
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
child development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.103
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1467-8624
pISSN - 0009-3920
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01492.x
Subject(s) - psychology , adolescent development , developmental psychology , longitudinal study , identity (music) , child development , medicine , physics , pathology , acoustics
This study examined identity development in a 5‐wave study of 923 early‐to‐middle and 390 middle‐to‐late adolescents thereby covering the ages of 12–20. Systematic evidence for identity progression was found: The number of diffusions, moratoriums, and searching moratoriums (a newly obtained status) decreased, whereas the representation of the high‐commitment statuses (2 variants of a [fore]closed identity: “early closure” and “closure,” and achievement) increased. We also found support for the individual difference perspective: 63% of the adolescents remained in the same identity status across the 5 waves. Identity progression was characterized by 7 transitions: diffusion → moratorium, diffusion → early closure, moratorium → closure, moratorium → achievement, searching moratorium → closure, searching moratorium → achievement, and early closure → achievement.