Identity in adolescence: Present and future self-concepts

This paper reports an investigation to test the hypothesis that anxiety concerning a concept of the self in the future will increase with age during adolescence, while anxiety relating to the self in the present will not. Subjects included a total of 80 adolescent boys from schools in a working class area of London, divided into three groups of 12-year-olds, 14-year-olds and 16-year-olds. The results strongly substantiated the hypothesis, and are discussed in relation to Erikson's theory of an adolescent identity crisis.At present Senior Lecturer in Psychology at The London Hospital Medical College (University of London). Is both a Developmental and Clinical Psychologist, with interests in adolescence and the preschool years.Medical student at The London Hospital Medical College, having a special interest in psychology.