Differentiation and Individuation as Mediators of Identity and Intimacy in Adolescence

Abstract

The primary objective of this paper is to examine the interdependence of individual and family development as these relate to the coemergence of a mature sense of identity and the capacity for intimacy during adolescence. In focusing on these issues, the paper expands on the concepts of individuation and system differentiation thus placing adolescent development in the context of a life-long dialectic involving issues of family and individual separateness and connectedness. It is contended that by conceptualizing adolescence as a significant developmental transition for the family as well as the child, the significance of system differentiation and intimate parent-child interactions emerge as important mediators of the individuation process. The individuation construct is thereby utilized to elaborate the complex relationships between identity formation, the capacity for intimacy, and the systems level of differentiation.