Stages Of Identity In Adolescence

My family, on my mother’s side, does not only consist of my mother and brother, but it also includes a large extended family. I come from a large African American family that moved from the south to California. My maternal grandmother had 11 children, and each child/sibling had at least two children. Therefore, I grew up with a lot of noise and very little privacy. This was both frustrating and important at the same time. During the stages of late adolescence, 14 – 18, it was the time when I began to understand my own identity as a family member and an individual.
Upon entering the 9th grade, at age 14, I knew it would be my final year attending school with my cousin. For many years, we were known as a pair with teachers and friends understanding

According to Santrock (2015), Erickson’s psychosocial development describes this as the stage of identity versus role confusion. During this stage, what occurs is the adolescent’s exploration of themselves and their roles in their social circles. If an adolescent is able to explore their identities in a positive way, and in a safe environment, they will develop a positive identity. If the converse happens, they will have identity confusion (2015). This stage offers adolescents the opportunity to explore personal values, beliefs and goals. Therefore, in school and in my family, I believe I was able to understand that I am smart and capable of achieving goals no matter how long it takes. I was able to understand that I would have the support of my family members in the midst of having typical teenage problems. In school, I was able to develop my own identity outside of being a pair with my cousin; as well as exploring my own career interests and the types of friends I wanted to have in my own circle. This reflection also allows me to better understand that developing my identity, while being in a large family, allowed me the safety, support and encouragement that lead to a healthy exploration of my