Most of us have asked ourselves the question “Who am I?” at one point or another in our lives. The authors of our textbook discuss the difficulties teenagers face in establishing their own identity (Coon & Mitterer, 2016). They state, “Many problems stem from the unclear standards about the role adolescents should play within society” (p. 110). Our text also explains that teenagers experience “ambiguity,” or unclear interpretations, when defining their roles. This adds to their confusion of a clear and solid sense of self.
More often we are seeing cases presented in the media about teens who have taken their own lives as a result of bullying. Sadly, “Between 1950 and 1990, suicide rates for adolescents and young adults doubled” (Durand & Barlow as cited in Coon and Mitterer, 2016, p. 480). This emphasizes Coon & Mitterers’ statement that “In many ways adolescence and young adulthood are more emotionally turbulent than midlife or old age” (p. 111). Do you agree or disagree?
Coon, D. & Mitterer, J.O. (2016). Introduction to Psychology: Gateways to Mind and Behavior, 14th ed. Belmont, California: Cengage.
For this week’s main post, answer the following questions. Be sure to include factual, properly cited information in your post.
What are some specific strategies that you would suggest for supporting a young person who is experiencing an identity crisis? Consider Kohlberg’s levels of moral development, Gilligan’s ethic of caring and justice, and Erikson’s psychosocial theory when considering the way a teenager thinks. Why do you think a teenager would resort to attempting or committing suicide due to a bullying incident?
