Adolescents’ Identity Formation: Linking the Narrative and the Dual-Cycle Approach

Abstract

The narrative and dual-cycle approach conceptualize and operationalize adolescents' identity formation in different ways. While the narrative approach focuses on the construction of an autobiographical life story, the dual-cycle approach focuses on the formation of identity commitments. Although these approaches have different emphases, they are conceptually complementary. Yet, their empirical links and distinctions have only scarcely been investigated. Empirical knowledge on these links in adolescence and across time has been especially lacking. In the present research, it was therefore examined whether key characteristics of adolescents' narration (autobiographical reasoning and agency) were concurrently and prospectively related to engagement in the dual-cycle processes of commitment making, identification with commitment, exploration in breadth, exploration in depth, and ruminative exploration. The findings from a cross-sectional sample of 1,580 Dutch adolescents (M age = 14.7 years, 56% female) demonstrated that autobiographical reasoning was significantly positively associated with the commitment and more adaptive exploration processes (i.e., in breadth and in depth). In addition, agency was significantly positively associated with the commitment processes and exploration in depth. Yet, these associations between the narrative characteristics and dual-cycle processes were only weak. Subsequently, the findings from a two-year longitudinal subsample (n = 242, M age = 14.7 years, 62% female) indicated that on average commitment strength remained stable but exploration increased across middle adolescence. A stronger increase in identification with commitment and adaptive exploration (i.e., in breadth and in depth) was predicted by a higher degree of agency in adolescents' narratives. Overall, these findings indicate that both approaches to identity formation are associated, but the small size of these associations suggests that they predominantly capture unique aspects of identity formation. Both approaches could thus complement and inform each other.

A qualitative study on identity in individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis: “ … Why does it have to be one thing?”.

“…Future research in this area might also consider assessing identity among individuals at CHR through contemporary research frameworks, including the narrative approach (i.e., developing a coherent life story), the dual-cycle approach (i.e., developing and evaluating identity commitments in breadth and depth), and the certaintyuncertainty model (i.e., reevaluating past commitments, such as those influenced by caregivers' beliefs; Schwartz et al, 2005Schwartz et al, , 2013van Doeselaar, McLean, et al, 2019). Specific to psychosis, future research should also consider how identity changes in psychosis can result from many different factors (symptoms, cognitive and social functioning, stigma, understanding of psychosis, meaning-making, personal growth, and positive changes; Conneely et al, 2020;Friesen et al, 2021).…”

Redes sociales e identidad: ¿desafío adolescente?

“…El abordaje de las teorías narrativas comparte puntos en común con la perspectiva ericksoniana, planteando a la identidad como un concepto sistémico-narrativo, sociallingüísticamente construido. Desde este abordaje y, a través de las narraciones de las historias de vida, los sujetos buscan integrar su historia personal y generar un sentimiento de continuidad y unidad de sí mismos (Van Doeselaar et al, 2020). Desde esta perspectiva, los sujetos aprenden sobre sí mismos a través de las historias personales que cuentan a los demás y a través de las historias que los demás cuentan sobre ellos .…”

Digital Media and the Dual Aspect of Adolescent Identity Development

“…Granic et al (2020) suggested that the dynamics of the needs for agency and communion shift during adolescence and that this shift may be reflected in the relative prominence on agency versus communion themes in a narrative identity. Specifically, as adolescents start to engage in self-exploration and gain better insight into their own interests and values, a predominance of communion themes may give way to a predominance of agency themes (see Van Doeselaar et al, 2020, for some indirect support for this). Toward the end of adolescent identity development, when the needs for agency and communion become more balanced, agency and communion themes may become relatively equalized and united in a narrative identity.…”