Adolescence is a time of profound transformation. Young people naturally begin exploring who they are, who they want to become, and where they fit in the world around them. As educators and youth-serving professionals, understanding how to support positive identity development can make a meaningful impact on the teens and young adults in your care.
Identity formation isn’t just a phase teens go through—it’s a crucial developmental process that shapes their future well-being, relationships, and life choices. When we approach this process with intention and care, we can help young people build a strong foundation for their adult lives.
The American Psychological Association (2018) defines identity as a person’s sense of self informed by personal traits, affiliations with social groups, and social roles. This definition reveals the complexity of identity—we don’t have just one identity, but multiple identities related to our various roles and group memberships.
Identity encompasses both self-perception and how others perceive us. These perceptions inform the attitudes young people hold about specific behaviors, their expectations for themselves, what they believe others expect from them, and ultimately, the behaviors they choose to engage in or avoid.
Three key components make up our identities:
Personal traits include descriptors like brave, witty, reliable, talkative, as well as abilities and disabilities that shape how young people see themselves.
Affiliations encompass connections to ethnicity, religion, clubs, social class, and other group memberships that provide belonging and meaning.
Social roles represent the parts young people play in their communities—student, athlete, brother, child, friend—each carrying specific expectations and opportunities.
According to identity researchers the “ideal self” sits at the top of our goal hierarchy (Carver & Scheier, 1998; Berkman, Livingston, & Kahn, 2017). This ideal self serves as a powerful regulator of behavior. When young people have a clear sense of who they want to become, it provides purpose and motivation to pursue goals and behaviors aligned with that vision.
Supporting young people as they identify their ideal self taps into their internal motivation and serves as the compass to do the work required for positive growth. This process transforms abstract goals into personally meaningful pursuits.
During adolescence and young adulthood, identity exploration and development are natural and necessary experiences. This exploration happens on two levels (Branje, et al. 2021):
Personal identity involves developing a sense of who one is and who one wants to be across different situations and contexts.
Social identity focuses on understanding oneself as a member of various social groups and what that membership means.
When young people are encouraged to explore these dimensions, they develop self-understanding, clarify their values, and form a sense of self that is both internally grounded and socially connected. However, when this exploration is discouraged or when young people are simply told who they are, confusion can result, leading to issues with boundaries, self-worth, and self-respect.
Achieving a strong sense of identity requires time and support. Research shows that only about half of young people experience identity achievement by age 36, and identities continue to shift and evolve throughout the lifespan due to changing circumstances (Kroger, Martinussen, & Marcia, 2010).
This reality emphasizes the importance of viewing identity development as an ongoing process rather than a destination, and supporting young people through ongoing exploration and revision.
We cannot discuss identity without acknowledging intersectionality—a term coined by civil rights advocate Kimberlé Crenshaw to describe how various dimensions of identity converge to create unique experiences of privilege or discrimination.
As coaches and educators, we must hold space for the fullness of our participants’ experiences. Some identity aspects are visible, others remain hidden. All humans experience multiple identities simultaneously, and we must seek to understand our clients from their perspective, based on their lived experiences and dreams for themselves.
Elisabetta Crocetti’s (2017) Three-Factor Identity Model provides a practical framework for understanding how young people form and revise their identities:
In-depth exploration involves actively thinking about, researching, reflecting on, and discussing with others the commitments they’re considering related to their sense of self, social groups, or roles.
Commitment means making choices to actively engage specific aspects of identity or pursue particular social groups or roles—such as committing to be an artist, soccer player, or a positive role model for younger students.
Reconsideration becomes useful when circumstances change and alternative commitments might make more sense—like when a chosen career path proves to be a poor fit, or when family circumstances require shifting priorities.
Here are specific questions you can use to support young people through each phase of identity development:
For exploration:
For commitment:
For reconsideration:
Supporting positive identity development in teens and young adults requires creating environments where exploration is encouraged, multiple identities are acknowledged, and the complexity of intersectionality is respected. By understanding the natural processes of identity formation and using thoughtful questioning techniques, we can help young people navigate this crucial developmental stage with confidence and clarity.
Remember, your role is not to tell young people who they should be, but to support them in discovering who they are and who they want to become. This approach honors their autonomy while providing the guidance and structure they need during this transformative time. Learn more about how to support young people as they navigate this phase through our coach training programs.
