Identity In Adolescent Behavioral Research

Catharsis revolves around four friends, who lost a friend in high school and then alienated themselves from the rest of their friendship group. The death of a friend may affect the development of identity in teenagers in numerous ways. When teenagers experience the death of a friend, they have to then integrate an understanding of personal mortality, that is, they begin to appreciate and understand the fact that they will die too, and integrate that into their belief system and identity (Corr & Balk, 1996). Death of a friend or peer during adolescence is perceived by developmental theorists and researchers as a potentially devastating and life-changing event for an adolescent (Pamela A. Malone, year). Most teenagers are hesitant to show their …show more content…
Another study that focused on 94 teenagers 18 months after a classmate had died showed that adolescents tend to hide their feelings, including anger stress and confusion, from adults and from one another (Malone, n.d.). The loss, grief and trauma reactions of adolescents may be complicated and significantly impacted by the fact that most peer deaths are sudden and viewed as preventable. These reactions can affect relationships with other friends, leading to enhanced feelings of estrangement, isolation and a prolonged grief (Malone, n.d.). After a peer dies an adolescents sense of safety and security about the world and ongoing relationships may be skewed as a result. They may begin to perceive the world as an unsafe place, and that building friendships and peer relationships is a dangerous endeavour that could end in devastating loss (Malone, n.d.). Overwhelmed by the sense that the world has let them down, that it is no longer predictable, teenagers tend to hide and are cautious now of the world around them (Malone,