Becht Andrik I, Nelemans Stefanie A, Branje Susan J T, Vollebergh Wilma A M, Koot Hans M, Denissen Jaap J A, Meeus Wim H J
Research Centre Adolescent Development, Utrecht University.
Department of Adolescent Development, Utrecht University.
Dev Psychol. 2016 Dec;52(12):2010-2021. doi: 10.1037/dev0000245.
Identity formation is one of the key developmental tasks in adolescence. According to Erikson (1968) experiencing identity uncertainty is normative in adolescence. However, empirical studies investigating identity uncertainty on a daily basis are lacking. Hence, studying individual differences in daily certainty (i.e., identity commitment levels) and uncertainty (i.e., identity commitment fluctuations and identity reconsideration) in the identity formation process may advance our knowledge about the extent to which adolescents' identity uncertainty is part of normative identity development. Therefore, this longitudinal study examined heterogeneity in certainty and uncertainty dynamics of adolescents' daily identity formation using a longitudinal microlevel approach. Dutch adolescents (N = 494; Mage = 13.03 years at T1; 56.7% boys) reported on 2 key dimensions of identity formation (i.e., commitment and reconsideration) in both the educational and interpersonal domain on a daily basis for 3 weeks within 1 year, across 5 successive years. Multivariate latent class growth analyses suggested both in the educational and interpersonal identity domain a class of adolescents displaying a "crisis-like" identity formation process, and an "identity synthesis" class. Classes revealed differential development of (global and school) anxiety, aggression, and best friend support. Taken together, the present study confirmed Erikson's notion that experiencing daily identity uncertainty is common during adolescence. However, a substantial amount of adolescents also showed a process toward identity maturation already during adolescence. (PsycINFO Database Record
身份认同形成是青少年关键的发展任务之一。根据埃里克森（1968年）的观点，经历身份认同的不确定性在青少年时期是正常现象。然而，目前缺乏对日常身份认同不确定性的实证研究。因此，研究身份认同形成过程中日常确定性（即身份认同承诺水平）和不确定性（即身份认同承诺波动和身份认同重新思考）的个体差异，可能会增进我们对青少年身份认同不确定性在多大程度上是正常身份发展一部分的认识。因此，这项纵向研究采用纵向微观层面的方法，考察了青少年日常身份认同形成中确定性和不确定性动态的异质性。荷兰青少年（N = 494；T1时的平均年龄为13.03岁；56.7%为男孩）在1年中的5个连续年份里，连续3周每天报告教育和人际领域身份认同形成的两个关键维度（即承诺和重新思考）。多变量潜在类别增长分析表明，在教育和人际身份领域，都有一类青少年呈现出“类似危机”的身份认同形成过程，以及一个“身份认同整合”类别。不同类别在（总体和学校）焦虑、攻击性和最好朋友的支持方面呈现出不同的发展情况。综上所述，本研究证实了埃里克森的观点，即在青少年时期，经历日常身份认同的不确定性是常见的。然而，相当一部分青少年在青少年时期就已经呈现出身份认同成熟的过程。（《心理学文摘数据库记录》
