Personal identity of modern adolescents: results of an all-Russian study

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Abstract

Context and relevance. The theoretical significance of the work is related to the need to correlate the cultural and historical approach in understanding adolescence, identity theories and modern ideas about the dynamics of the development of the Self-concept. The practical and social value of the research is determined by the need to actualize the developing educational influences in relation to adolescents. Objective. The purpose of the study is to analyze the features of personal identity (namely, the profile of self-perception and clarity of Self-concept) of modern Russian adolescents. Hypotheses: there are differences in the profile of self-perception and clarity of Self-concept among adolescents, taking into account factors such as gender, age, academic achievement, territory of residence; there are significant links between the profile of self-perception and clarity of Self in adolescents. Methods and materials. The survey was conducted using the methods 1) "Self-perception profile for adolescents" adapted by N.K. Radina, E.Y. Tereshenkova and 2) The scale "Clarity of Self-concept" adapted by V.V. Vdovenko, S.A. Shchebetenko, E.B. Starovoitenko. The participants are more than 62,000 teenagers from 85 regions of Russia aged from 11 to 17 years. Results. Gender, age, academic performance, and life in difficult conditions have virtually no effect on the self-perception and formation of the Self-concept of adolescents. The turning point of 11-12 years in the development of self-clarity has been empirically identified. Significant positive relationships between self-clarity and a number of aspects of adolescents' self-esteem have been established. Conclusions. The picture of the direction and content of the development of adolescents' personal identity obtained in the study confirms the relevance of the patterns formulated in the classical theories of E. Erikson and D.B. Elkonin.

General Information

Keywords: adolescence, personal identity, self-perception, self-concept, self-clarity, self-esteem, reflection, digital socialization

Article type: scientific article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/pse.2026000005

Funding. The study was carried out under the State Assignment of the Ministry of Enlightenment of the Russian Federation No. 073-00069-25-03 dated April 24, 2025, “Developing a Psychological Profile of Contemporary Children and Adolescents and Identifying Conditions for Their Well-being.

Received 17.12.2025

Accepted

Published

For citation: Shapovalenko, I.V., Kochetova, Y.A., Semya, G.V., Merkul, I.A., Radchikov, A.S. (2025). Personal identity of modern adolescents: results of an all-Russian study. Psychological Science and Education. Early Access. https://doi.org/10.17759/pse.2026000005

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Information About the Authors

Irina V. Shapovalenko, Candidate of Science (Psychology), Professor of Department of Age Psychology Named After Professor L.F. Obukhova, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3845-3473, e-mail: irin_vlad@mail.ru

Yuliya A. Kochetova, Candidate of Science (Psychology), Professor, Chair of Scientific Basis of Extreme Psychology, Moscow State University of Psychology & Education, Moscow, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9853-569X, e-mail: kochetovayua@mgppu.ru

Galina V. Semya, Doctor of Psychology, Professor, Professor of the Department of Developmental Psychology named after Professor L.F. Obukhova" Faculty of Educational Psychology, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Professor of the Department of Psychological Anthropology of the Institute of Childhood of the Moscow Pedagogical State University., Moscow, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9583-8698, e-mail: gvsemia@yandex.ru

Irina A. Merkul, Candidate of Science (Psychology), Associate Professor of the Department of the Department of Developmental Psychology named after Professor L.F. Obukhova, of the Faculty of Psychology of Education, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3808-6076, e-mail: merkulia@mgppu.ru

Andrew S. Radchikov, Laboratory Research Assistant, Scientific and Practical Center for Comprehensive Support of Psychological Research PsyDATA, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-9378-0937, e-mail: superprobasite@yandex.ru

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