Adolescence is a time of self-discovery and identity formation, when young people begin to establish a sense of who they are, what they believe in, and where they fit in the world.
This makes adolescence a sensitive developmental window, characterised by significant opportunities as well as vulnerabilities. As a critical stage of development, building a powerful self-identity is essential for adolescents to establish a strong foundation for personal and social growth, which is in turn crucial for success and wellbeing.
However, more than 75% of mental health problems occur before the age of 25. Young people can face difficulties as they cope with a combination of physical, emotional, and social changes, while also striving to maintain a balance between academic or work commitments and their social life.
Adding exposure to adversity and risk factors such as poverty, abuse or violence can heighten adolescents’ susceptibility to these mental health challenges.
The influence of media and societal expectations of gender norms can widen the gap between a young person’s lived experiences and the achievement of their ambitions, limiting their belief in their own potential.
Other key factors that contribute to this vulnerability include the quality of their home life and relationships with peers, violence (sexual violence and bullying in particular), harsh parenting, pressure to conform with peers, and severe and socioeconomic problems.
These experiences, at this critical time of self-discovery, significantly influence adolescents’ belief systems that are simultaneously being formed, and can make it difficult for them to form a strong and positive sense of self.
Our beliefs about ourselves play a strong role in shaping our lives, influencing what we decide to do, and not do. They control how we think, feel and interact with the world around us. In other words, beliefs control behaviour.
This is where self-identity, which is simply the culmination of the beliefs that shape how we perceive ourselves, plays an important role.
Adolescents and young adults who lack a strong sense of identity tend to struggle with self-esteem and confidence, and may be more likely to engage in risky behaviours or experience mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.
Teenagers who have a strong sense of identity are more empowered to make stronger life decisions. This makes them likely to make healthy choices and have a positive outlook on life. They are also better-equipped to handle challenges, such as peer pressure and academic stress.
This makes it essential for young people to develop a powerful identity in order to successfully navigate the changes taking place, and have a strong sense of self-worth, self-esteem, and self-awareness.
This sets them up for future success, empowering them to become confident adults, because a clear identity makes people more resilient, reflective, and autonomous in the pursuit of important life decisions, while promoting a sense of competence.
It helps teenagers navigate the challenges of this transitional period, and establish a sense of self that sets them up for success and guides them through the rest of their lives.
A strong benefit of helping adolescents create a powerful identity early on in life is that it can lead to continued positive impacts on mental health through adulthood.
Parents, teachers, and other adults play an important role in supporting young people as they navigate their way through this critical stage of development. Here’s how we can support adolescents in building a powerful self-identity:
- Focus on the purpose: Ask open-ended questions to help adolescents begin to narrow and focus on their purpose. Energy goes where focus flows. Helping adolescents identify their main goals can direct much of their energy to those areas of their lives and reinforce their sense of self.
- Encourage self-reflection: Adolescents need time and space to reflect on their experiences, feelings, and beliefs. Adults can encourage and model self-reflection by continuing to ask open-ended questions and providing a safe and supportive environment for adolescents to share their thoughts and feelings.
- Encourage comfort in saying “no”: The key is to help them become familiar with a word that many people do not like: “No.” The goal is to show adolescents that they owe it to themselves to respect their own time enough to know, and be accountable for, where they want and need to spend it. By focusing their thoughts and energy on who they believe they are, and what it is they really want, they will find more confidence and fulfilment in working towards their own goals.
- Foster a sense of belonging: Adolescents need to feel like they belong and are truly accepted for who they are. It allows them to realise that they are enough. Positive relationships with peers and adults can provide a sense of belonging and connection, which can boost self-esteem and resilience.
- Encourage positive self-talk: Adolescents need to develop a positive self-image and sense of self-worth. Adults can encourage this by modelling positive self-talk and reinforcing positive qualities and strengths in adolescents. This can also involve making adolescents more aware of any negative thought patterns they might have, and steering them towards the positive.
- Challenge negative stereotypes and biases: Negative stereotypes and biases can undermine adolescents’ sense of self-worth and identity. Adults can challenge these stereotypes and biases by promoting diversity and inclusivity, and encouraging young people to embrace their unique qualities and perspectives.
Supporting adolescents in building a powerful self-identity requires a multifaceted approach that includes self-reflection, positive experiences and challenges, positive relationships with peers and adults, and challenging negative stereotypes and biases.
By providing young people with the tools and resources they need to develop a strong sense of self, parents, teachers, and other adults can help adolescents navigate challenges and develop into confident and resilient adults.
