A study of introspectiveness in adolescents and young adults

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between introspectiveness and the theoretically related variables of close friend solidarity, self-esteem, and symptom patterns in early, middle, and late adolescents, as well as in young adults. Samples of early (n = 103), middle (n = 107), and late adolescents (n = 101) as well as young adults (n = 70) completed the Introspectiveness Scale, the Close Friend Solidarity Instrument, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Symptom Pattern Scale in classroom settings. Hypotheses were tested using Pearson correlations, with a one-tailed test of significance. Introspectiveness was statistically, significantly, and positively related to close friend solidarity in all adolescents but not in young adults; introspectiveness was statistically, significantly, and inversely related to self-esteem in all adolescents but not in young adults. Finally, introspectiveness was statistically, significantly, and positively related to symptom patterns in all adolescents and in young adults.