Female identity development and self-reflection in late adolescence
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 18, 2026

Assessing the Coherence of Parents' Short Narratives Regarding their Child Using the Five-Minute Speech Sample Procedure
Published on: September 19, 2019
1Department of Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027.
Abstract:
The primary aim of this study was to assess whether the capacity for self-reflection in late adolescent females is related to their level of identity development. It was hypothesized that females characterized by advanced identity status (either identity achievement or moratorium) would exhibit a greater capacity for self-reflection than those characterized by less advanced identity status (foreclosure or diffusion). Of 85 subjects who met the criteria for this study (female college students in the New York City area), 32 fit purely into one of four identity statuses; among this latter group, a t test revealed a significantly higher degree of self-reflection for the advanced identity status subjects. Implications for the psychology of identity are discussed.
Related Concept Videos
Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
Erikson's Theory on Socioemotional Development during Adolescence
Ethnic Identity within a Larger Culture
Influence of Parents and Peers on Identity
Parental Influence on Identity Development
Parents serve as primary guides and managers in an adolescent's life, offering support instrumental in decision-making and personal growth. This guiding role...
Self-Concept
Infancy and Emerging Recognition
During infancy, self-concept is virtually nonexistent. Babies do not distinguish themselves as separate entities and often mistake their...
Sources of Self-Esteem I: Family Experience

