Alonzo Decarlo

Exploration of Ethnic and Ego Identity Development in Black Americans: Identity Development in African Americans Alonzo Decarlo

Understanding how African American youth appear to manage the struggles of race and ethnic consciousness as well as achieving the normal developmental outcomes of adolescence associated with ego identity requires extensive research. More study is necessary to ascertain how ego, racial, and ethnic identity evolves over time and the nature of this development in other areas of African American adolescents lives. Afro-centric theories on development with empirical support would make major contributions to our understanding of identity development for African American adolescents. Studies that capture the cultural subtleties of identity development in African American youth will make tremendous contributions to the intervention and prevention strategies for mental health, judicial and educational practitioners working with this population.