The Developmental Trajectory and Influencing Factors of Self-Concept Clarity in Chinese Adolescents: A Latent Transition Analysis.

Abstract

This study used latent transition analysis to explore the categories of self-concept clarity transformation and their influencing factors among adolescents. A total of 3010 adolescents (Mage = 17.56, SD = 2.61, ranging from 12 to 23 years, 41.23% males) were longitudinally tracked, with assessments of their self-concept clarity conducted three times over half a year. Results showed that (1) there existed heterogeneity in the adolescents' self-concept clarity, with three distinct profiles identified at each time point; and (2) adolescents' self-concept clarity exhibited different transition trajectories. The group with high self-concept clarity revealed higher stability, with those in the low self-concept clarity group tending to shift towards either the moderate self-concept clarity group or the high self-concept clarity group. (3) Parent-child relationships had a more stable impact on adolescents' self-concept clarity subgroups, while peer relationships played a less consistent role. The study advances our understanding of the potential changes in the development of adolescent self-concept clarity profiles in conjunction with the impact of peer relationships and parent-child relationships, but also offers a basis for classification description and intervention practices in enhancing adolescents' self-concept clarity.