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Abstract. The developmental continuum of identity status has been a topic of theoretical debate since the early 1980's. A recent meta-analysis and recent studies with dual cycle models lead to two conclusions: (1) during adolescence there is systematic identity maturation; (2) there are two continuums of identity status progression. Both continuums show that in general adolescents move from transient identity statuses to identity statuses that mark the relative endpoints of development: from diffusion to closure, and from searching moratorium and moratorium to closure and achievement. This pattern can be framed as development from identity formation to identity maintenance. In Identity Status Interview research using Marcia's model, not the slightest indication for a continuum of identity development was found. This may be due to the small sample sizes of the various studies leading to small statistical power to detect differences in identity status transitions, as well as developmental inconsistencies in Marcia's model. Findings from this review are interpreted in terms of life-span developmental psychology.

Longitudinal research into personal and ethnic identity has expanded considerably in the first decade of the present century. The longitudinal studies have shown that personal identity develops progressively during adolescence, but also that many individuals do not change identity, especially ethnic identity. Researchers have found rank‐order stability of personal identity to be larger in adulthood than in adolescence and stability of ethnic identity to be larger in middle and late than early adolescence. Personal identity appears to progress in adulthood, as well. Adolescents with a mature identity typically show high levels of adjustment and a positive personality profile, live in warm families, and perform well at school. There is little evidence for developmental order, however, and studies instead have mainly found covariation over time between identity and the other developmental processes. The present review demonstrates that the dimensional approach to the study of identity formation can be very successful. It allows for combined variable and person‐centered analyses, and for empirically generated and replicable statuses. Theoretically, the review suggests that identity formation is a less dynamic process than commonly assumed, that the identity status continuum has the order diffusion (D)→moratorium (M)→foreclosure (F)→achievement (A), that adolescents may follow two distinct sets of identity transitions on this continuum: D→F (or EC: early closure, an alternative label for foreclosure)→A or D→M→C (closure, a subtype of early closure)→A, that present identity status research offers multiple ways to study continuity of identity, and that there is no empirical proof for the assumption that exploration precedes commitment in the process of identity formation. Additionally, narrative identity research became highly visible between 2000 and 2010. The studies into narrative identity have shown that continuity of identity and coherence of the life story both grow in adolescence. Suggestions for future research are outlined.

We elaborated an integrated theoretical model of identity within Nurmi's general framework of adolescent life-planning by combining concepts of Tazelaar's mental incongruity theory and Marcia's identity model. Mental incongruity is what people experience when there is
a discrepancy between how they think a situation should be (the standard) and how they experience the actual situation or their own behavior (the cognition). The mental incongruity theory is domain specific which connects well with Marcia's domain specific identity model. We studied the
influence of adolescents' standards - how they would like their educational status to be or how they would like their social relations to be - and mental incongruity on the development of identity in the respective domains. By means of Lisrel, we tested hypotheses on a sample of 1230
Dutch adolescents, between the ages of 15 to 24. As expected, a higher standard led to more exploration and commitment and thus to a more developed identity, but also to more mental incongruity. More mental incongruity led in its turn to a less developed identity. Thus, a higher standard directly
led to a more mature identity, but caused indirectly - via mental incongruity - a less mature identity. Furthermore, a low relational mental incongruity induced a low educational mental incongruity, and likewise a high relational identity somewhat increased the educational identity. Finally,
the expected crisscross effects of the standard in one domain decreasing the mental incongruity in the other domain were found.

This cohort-sequential panel study on Dutch youths (N = 3394) and their parents examined the formation of party preference between age 12 and 25. Specifically, it aimed to pinpoint the most formative component and age in a multiparty context. Opinionation, stability and correlates were examined for three components of party preference: party identification, voting intention and left-right identification. Results revealed that most youths formed a preference at some point during their early life. The 6-year stability of party preference was already substantial during early adolescence and increased until early adulthood. Party preference became increasingly related to youths' social characteristics and issue attitudes with age, but parents remained important. Whereas studies from two-party systems emphasized the importance of party identification, this study suggested that left-right identification may instead predominate the early formation, intergenerational transmission and life-course stability of party preference in the Netherlands. The most formative period was around age 18.

This cohort-sequential panel study on Dutch youths (N = 3394) and their parents examined the formation of party preference between age 12 and 25. Specifically, it aimed to pinpoint the most formative component and age in a multiparty context. Opinionation, stability and correlates were examined for three components of party preference: party identification, voting intention and left-right identification. Results revealed that most youths formed a preference at some point during their early life. The 6-year stability of party preference was already substantial during early adolescence and increased until early adulthood. Party preference became increasingly related to youths' social characteristics and issue attitudes with age, but parents remained important. Whereas studies from two-party systems emphasized the importance of party identification, this study suggested that left-right identification may instead predominate the early formation, intergenerational transmission and life-course stability of party preference in the Netherlands. The most formative period was around age 18.

This cohort-sequential panel study on Dutch youths ( N = 3394) and their parents examined the formation of party preference between age 12 and 25. Specifically, it aimed to pinpoint the most formative component and age in a multiparty context. Opinionation, stability and correlates were examined for three components of party preference: party identification, voting intention and left-right identification. Results revealed that most youths formed a preference at some point during their early life. The 6-year stability of party preference was already substantial during early adolescence and increased until early adulthood. Party preference became increasingly related to youths' social characteristics and issue attitudes with age, but parents remained important. Whereas studies from two-party systems emphasized the importance of party identification, this study suggested that left-right identification may instead predominate the early formation, intergenerational transmission and life-course stability of party preference in the Netherlands. The most formative period was around age 18.

This three-wave cohort-sequential longitudinal study (N=1302) examined the development of two core political attitudes, economic egalitarianism and ethnocentrism, among Dutch youths between age 12 and 31. Longitudinal regression analyses revealed a curvilinear mean level development for both attitudes, reflecting an increased disagreement with economic redistribution and multiculturalism around late adolescence. Furthermore, attitudes became decreasingly polarized (i.e., less extreme) and increasingly stable with age. Finally, several effects of attitudes' correlates gradually changed: The effect of educational level on ethnocentrism increased with age, whereas the effect of gender diminished. Regional effects on ethnocentrism developed as youths resided in a new area. No age-related change was found in the effect of parental SES. Overall, these findings support the idea that attitudes mature during the formative phase of adolescence and that this process slows down during emerging adulthood. Furthermore, these results support developmental explanations for the association between attitudes and their correlates.

According to the self-determination theory, experiencing autonomy support in close relationships is thought to promote adolescents' well-being. Perceptions of autonomy support from parents and from best friends have been associated with lower levels of adolescents' depressive symptoms. This longitudinal study examines the relative contribution of perceived autonomy support from parents and best friends in relation to adolescents' depressive symptoms and changes in these associations from early to late adolescence. Age and gender differences were also investigated. Questionnaires about mother, father, and a best friend were filled out by 923 early adolescents and 390 middle adolescents during five consecutive years, thereby covering an age range from 12 to 20. Multi-group cross-lagged path analysis revealed concurrent and longitudinal negative associations between perceived parental autonomy support and adolescents' depressive symptoms. No concurrent and longitudinal associations were found between perceived best friends' autonomy support and adolescents' depressive symptoms. Results were similar for early and middle adolescent boys and girls. Prevention and treatment programs should focus on the bidirectional interplay during adolescence between perceptions of parental autonomy support and adolescents' depressive symptoms.

AbstractAccording to the self‐determination theory, experiencing autonomy support in close relationships is thought to promote adolescents' well‐being. Perceptions of autonomy support from parents and from best friends have been associated with lower levels of adolescents' depressive symptoms. This longitudinal study examines the relative contribution of perceived autonomy support from parents and best friends in relation to adolescents' depressive symptoms and changes in these associations from early to late adolescence. Age and gender differences were also investigated. Questionnaires about mother, father, and a best friend were filled out by 923 early adolescents and 390 middle adolescents during five consecutive years, thereby covering an age range from 12 to 20. Multi‐group cross‐lagged path analysis revealed concurrent and longitudinal negative associations between perceived parental autonomy support and adolescents' depressive symptoms. No concurrent and longitudinal associations were found between perceived best friends' autonomy support and adolescents' depressive symptoms. Results were similar for early and middle adolescent boys and girls. Prevention and treatment programs should focus on the bidirectional interplay during adolescence between perceptions of parental autonomy support and adolescents' depressive symptoms.