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What factors relating to identity development have been

studies, it became clear that a large number of diverse mine their influence on identity development. Attempting

identity development between genders, either as the most common variable investigated throughout influential factors included: personal relationships (family exposure to various situations (domestic violence, recreation exposure) and personal characteristics (motivation, goals,

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(family structure recreation programs, goals, and anxiety).

The studies investigating personal relationships looked at identity development in relation to the individual’s interactions with family members, personality similarity to friends, and basic family structure. Those studies investigating the influence of various situations on identity development exposed an individual to a situation or investigated two groups with different previous levels of experience in a situation. Identity development was measured before and after exposure, or between the two groups. Finally, those studies investigating personal characteristics measured said characteristic in a group of

adolescents and compared the difference in those measurements to their current state of identity development.

In terms of the particular factors studied and their influence on adolescent identity development, a wide range of relationships was identified, even within the same factor. Looking at gender for instance, four of the thirty studies directly investigated gender difference in current identity development. Pastorino, Dunham, Kidnell, Bacho, and Lamborn (1997) found no significant difference between males and females in terms of their current identity status. In contrast, Sandhu and Tung (2006) found that girls were more likely to be in the achievement and moratorium status, and less likely to be in the diffusion status when compared to their male counterparts. Similar results were found by Marcotte (2009) as well as Berghand and Erling (2005). A study completed by Sandhu, Singh, Tung and Kundra (2012) found that the male’s psychological well-being was more closely related to achievement than that of the female participants.

Looking at the research relating to the influence of personal relationships on identity development, supportive familial and friendships seem to have a positive influence on identity development outcome measures where negative relationships will likely hinder identity development. Jones, Vaterlaus, Jackson and Morrill (2013) studied conflict and support in friendships and found that support among friends was negatively related to the identity diffusion status, where increased conflict was more likely to lead to an individual residing in the moratorium and diffusion statuses. In regards to familial relationships, Faber, Edwards, Bauer and Welcher (2003) found that individuals in the diffused and moratorium status were more likely to experience parental conflict, where strong

Coyl (1998) investigated similarities in identity development between friendship pairs and found that pairs who mutually identified as being friends were more likely to have similar stages of ego identity development.

In regards to the exposure to situations, the most common situations investigated were of a negative nature. Foster care exposure, and domestic violence were the two negative circumstances investigated. Kools (1997) conducted a qualitative grounded theory study that indicated the experience in the foster care environment had a negative influence on identity development and view of self due to the individuals diminished status and institutional nature of the foster care environment. Idemudia and Makhubela (2011) and Makhubela (2012) investigated the role domestic violence exposure plays in identity development and found that those exposed to violence in the home were more likely to have lower scores in regards to identity development when compared to those that were not exposed to violence. The lone study to investigate a positive situation on identity development was completed by Duerden, Widmer, Tanguchi and McCoy (2009) who investigated the role of adventure recreation participation in identity processing style. The final theme found in identity studies related to personal factors or characteristics. These studies investigated factors relating to the person such as cultural background, motivation, and behaviours. In regards to cultural backgrounds, the research suggested differences might exist between American adolescents and those from other cultures. In two instances American adolescents showed greater levels of identity achievement when compared to Turkish (Taylor and Oskay, 1995) and Indian adolescents (Graf, Mullis & Mullis, 2009).

Motivation and future goals were investigated by Yeager, Bundick and Johnson (2012) and Deuriez, Luyckx, Soenens and Bezonsky (2012). In both instances intrinsic

motivation or goals was related with higher levels of meaning and purpose in one’s life and more stable identity development.

Overall, 30 research studies were reviewed, that investigated a variety of factors relating to adolescent identity development. These factors could be grouped into three broad categories factors: personal relationships, exposure to different situations, and personal

characteristics. The influence of the factor on identity development varied greatly between the three categories factors with no consensus in any given area. The vast number of factors investigated helps to highlight the complex nature of identity

development and the multitude of elements that could influence how an adolescent forms their adult identity.