The framework describing adolescent identity statuses is known as?

• A. Erik Erikson Identity Stages
• B. Sigmund Freud Psychosexual Stages
• C. Lawrence Kohlberg Moral Development
• D. James Marcia Identity Status

Answer: (D)

Adolescent identity development is best described by James Marcia's Identity Status framework, which looks at how teens explore and commit to beliefs, values, and goals. It uses two ideas: exploration (seeking alternatives and questions about who they are) and commitment (making decisions about values, career, and beliefs). The four patterns are diffusion (little exploration or commitment), foreclosure (commitment without exploration), moratorium (active exploration without commitment), and achievement (exploration followed by firm commitment). This model helps explain why teens differ in their sense of self and direction, guiding discussions about education, career planning, and personal values. Other theories mentioned describe different aspects of development—Erikson's broader psychosocial stages, Freud's psychosexual stages, and Kohlberg's moral development—without the same four-status framework for identity formation.