Identity and role confusion in adolescents

Identity and role confusion are prevalent in the adolescents. It is during this stage that the adolescents try to discover who they are and what they really want to be. Identity is very important to adolescents. This is because, it is at this stage that an adolescent develops their personality, individuality, learn how to interact with others and develops a sense of who they are. Secondly, the process of identity enables adolescents to establish their personal beliefs and values. A good example to explain this is that, when there is a good relationship between an adolescent and the peers, the adolescent is likely to have a good emotional and psychological well-being which in turn leads to a strong identity and clarity on roles (Willey et al, 112-116).

There are certain behaviors that are considered out of the norm for adolescent development. These include, being too anti-social, violent, eating disorders, refusal to attend school, sadness and anxiety. Some of early warning signs about violent students that teachers need to be aware of include: frequent physical fighting with peers, rage over minor issues, self-injurious behavior and threat to commit suicide. There are several strategies that teachers can take in order to deescalate these kinds of behavior. Students should be taught on courtesy and respecting their peers. When every student is treated with dignity, they will feel that they belong to the right environment and this gives comfort. Teachers should also encourage students to treat their peers the same way they would like to be treated.