The relationships among parent–adolescent differentiation, sex role orientation and identity development in late adolescence and early adulthood

Abstract

This study had three main objectives. The first was an attempt to clarify inconsistencies in research on family characteristics and identity formation. The second was to test a model that has been discussed over the past several years based on Bowen's intergenerational family systems theory. Finally, gender differences were explored within the models hypothesized. The models included family differentiation variables, sex role orientation and adolescent identity development. The path models that included mother/adolescent and father/adolescent differentiation, masculinity and femininity scales, and ideological and interpersonal identity achievement in separate analyses were tested using LISREL VII. The results suggested that interpersonal and ideological identity domains were differentially related to differentiation in the family system and sex role orientation. There were also gender differences. These results are discussed in relation to previous research evidence about family characteristics that best support identity achievement for males and females.