Adolescent Identity Foreclosure

Young individuals often go through a period of adolescent identity foreclosure, a psychological phrase that characterizes one of the most common stages in this process. Adolescents are still forming their identities and may take on characteristics from others, such as their peers or family members.

Foreclosure of an Individual’s Identity Can Occur at Any Time.

Identity foreclosure occurs when a person assumes they know who they are but haven’t looked at all of their possibilities. It is possible that they were raised in a Christian household, went to Christian schools, and socialized with other members of the faith. As a Christian, they don’t have to think twice about their religious convictions. As soon as they leave home and come into contact with a wider variety of people and cultures, they may opt to reexamine their religious convictions.

It’s not uncommon for people to experience identity foreclosure, which occurs when they have exhausted all avenues of self-discovery and come to a conclusion about who they are. Identity revocation, on the other hand, is not a real identity. Wearing a mask is akin to that.

An identity crisis, or identity moratorium, explores one’s sense of self without committing to anything. To discover one’s true self, it is often important to go through this process.. Those in identity foreclosure have committed to one identity before they’ve had a chance to consider all the possibilities available. The traits and attributes of a parent, a close family, or a respected friend may have simply been adopted by them.

No matter how different from themselves their children’s identities may be from their own, parents must support and encourage them to create their own. Instead of being like their parents, children should develop into unique individuals.

Individuals Most Likely to Experience Identity Foreclosure

Tweens are the most probable demographic going through the identity foreclosure process. A tween might say they are politically conservative (their political identification) even if they haven’t researched other options. To them, the right is just the political identity of their parents.

Teens may reevaluate their political views when they hit their late teens and early twenties. They may finally get at political identity attainment, which may or may not be conservative if they continue their investigation (the identity moratorium).

Helpful related article: How To Riase a Child Who Has a Strong Emotional Intelligence, Helping Children Develop Emotional Intelligence in Small Steps, How to Teach Your Children Gratitude During Thanksgiving