Development of Identity and Self Concept Discussion

To Prepare:

Review the Learning Resources for Weeks 1–5
Consider the factors that impact identity and self-concept in childhood and early adolescence.
Using the Walden Library, locate 2–4 recent (5 years or less) peer-reviewed articles about influences on identity development in childhood and adolescence.
Complete either the Adult Attachment Survey (AAS) or the Five Factor Personality Test (FFPT) found in the Week 3 Learning Resources. Please note that these surveys are for your personal use to support this assignment. They are not clinical assessments to be used with clients.
Download the assignment template in the Week 3 Learning Resources.

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Submit by Day 7 of Week 5 a 4 page paper in which you:

Explain how the foundation of identity and self-concept is formed from childhood through adolescence. Include considerations for parenting, attachment, culture, peers, and other environmental influences.
Briefly share the outcome of your chosen assessment (one paragraph or less).
Discuss how your own early influences have impacted your current identity.
Justify your key points with specific references to the module’s assigned Learning Resources and 2–4 peer-reviewed articles from the past 5 years.
Use the template provided to outline and develop your application.

The Development of Identity and Self-Concept

Introduction goes here. No heading is used with introductions (just the paper title). In this section, there should be a clear thesis statement, an overview of identity and self-concept from childhood through adolescence (the topic of this assignment), a general overview of the paper, and a transition to the rest of the paper. Remember to provide in-text citations to support your statements of fact. Also, avoid making a series of “I will” statements. Instead, simply provide an overview of the subject and what lies ahead in the paper. This section should be about ½ to ¾ of a page in length.

Foundations of Identity

In this section, provide a summary of the factors contributing to the development of identity and self-concept. Include considerations for parenting, attachment, culture, peers, and other environmental influences. Hint: rather than listing all the influences, focus on a just few social/environmental/cultural influences. For some extra depth and critical thinking, include biological factors such as early/late puberty, or genetic predispositions to certain personality traits or issues (not required but adds demonstration of your understanding). Remember to include citations to support your discussion of the topic. It is best to include an assigned article or two in addition to the Broderick & Blewitt (2020) text. This section should be about 1 ½ to 2 pages in length.

Influences on My Own Identity

In this section, provide a summary of the assessment you chose (either the AAS or the FFPT – links to these resources are in the Week 3 Learning Resources); this is generally about a paragraph. Then, discuss the influences on your own identity and self-concept based on both the assessment results and your understanding of the readings from this module. For extra depth and critical thinking, tie this to the previous section, and highlight any items with which you either strongly agree or disagree. Be sure to support your key points with citations to the research; this should include the Broderick and Blewitt (2020) textbook and at least one or two peer-reviewed articles. This section should be about 1 ½ to 2 pages in length.

Summary

This section should include a restated (paraphrased) thesis (from the introduction) and a review of key points from the paper that support the thesis statement. Be sure to tie it all together to show your understanding and share any new insights gained from this assignment. For added depth, you may include a general commentary about how you will apply this information in your future counseling practice. End this paragraph with a concluding sentence. This section should be about ½ to ¾ of a page in length.

References

References go on a separate page with the heading centered at the top. This section should include any resources used in the paper. Remember that citations and references must match, though “References” includes primary resources only (see APA guide for how to cite secondary resources). The text should always be included, plus 2-4 additional peer-reviewed articles of your choosing (i.e., articles found in the Walden Library) from the past 5 years. There should be a total of 3-5 references for a paper of this length. Do not use websites as resources, as these are rarely peer-reviewed (unless they are online journal articles). This includes “research” websites such as Wikipedia.com and About.com.

GENERAL TIPS:

Please remember that the total length of this paper is 4-6 pages. That means that 4 pages is a MINIMUM. If your paper is a over 6 pages, chances are very good that there is a lot of “fill” that is not necessary for the paper. Remember that clear and concise writing – while also showing critical thinking, depth, and analysis – is a hallmark of graduate-level work. It is also recommended that you avoid direct quotes, as they contribute little to the quality of your writing, Instead, paraphrase key points, cite the source, discuss meaning and relevance, and show your ability to apply concept. YOU CAN DO IT!!