Adolescents’ development of self-concept clarity: A comparison between Dutch and Moroccan youth in The Netherlands

The present study of 477 Dutch and 138 Moroccan adolescents (mean age 13.1 years at Time 1; 54% male), examined whether self-concept clarity demonstrated significant growth over a five year period and whether this varied for Dutch and Moroccan boys and girls. In addition we examined the role of the parent-adolescent relationship by the use of perceived balanced relatedness with both parents as a determinant of self-concept clarity. Multi-group latent growth curve analysis indicated age effects in self-concept clarity in Dutch boys and girls. Among Dutch boys, 60% showed an increase and 40% a decrease in self-concept clarity. Half of the Dutch girls showed an increase, while the other half decreased on selfconcept clarity. No age effects were found in Moroccan boys and girls. In addition we found that Moroccan girls had significantly lower initial levels of self-concept clarity than Dutch boys. Mothers of Dutch boys and fathers of Moroccan girls had a positive effect on their children’s self-concept clarity through higher perceived balanced relatedness with their children