Some Directions for the Investigation of Ego Development in Early Adolescence

Early adolescence is discussed as a period in the life cycle marked by two important events in ego development: the formation of an ego ideal and the synthesis of an ego identity, both established by means of exploration and experimentation. It is suggested that our society, as contrasted with those offering structured rites of passage, provides the prolonged period of adolescence necessary for this development to take place. Three important precursors at early adolescence to an achieved identity at late adolescence are proposed: confidence in parental support; a sense of industry; and a self-reflective approach to one's future. These three variables have theoretical links, respectively, to psychoanalytic theory, ego developmental (psychosocial) theory, and cognitive structural developmental theory. It is hypothesized that the three variables relate to each other and to the identity statuses at late adolescence in a hierarchical manner.