Identity crisis in adolescence: a development fact or a cultural phenomenon; a comparative study of childhood, adolescence and adulthood

Abstract

TST (Twenty Statement Test) was administered to four different groups (children, early ado-lescents, late adolescents, youths). The answers to the TST were judged by three independent psychologists. The results were analyzed by two methods: analysis of variance for the average number of statements which indicate identity diffusion, and chi square for the number of subjects who were judged to be having identity diffusion in the four groups. Results by two methods showed very significant differ-ences between the late adolescence group and the other groups. The late adolescence group had more identity diffused subjects. Reliability of TST, and the correlation between judges were discussed. Recom-mendations for further research were discussed as well.