1

Positive Engagement with Youth: A Psycho Social Analysis

Dr. Sebastian Varghese Puthen

Introduction

In 1998, the new president of the American Psychological Association (APA), Dr. Martin
P Seligman, assessing the field of psychology, declared in his inaugural presidential address that,
"Psychology is not just the study of weakness and damage; it is also the study of strength and
virtue. Treatment is not just fixing what is broken; it is nurturing what is best within ourselves". 1
Thus began the movement of positive psychology. This new wave in psychology recognizes that
every person has a unique set of talents, abilities, and psychological assets that can be measured
and enhanced. Focusing personal time and energy on building a life around one's strengths can
lead to a more productive and fulfilled life. Against this background, Youth are to be treated as
resources to be developed and utilized. They are not just problems to be managed. In order to
assure positive youth development, their unique strengths are to be promoted by employing all
available environmental assets. An in-depth understanding of psychological development of
youth is needed as a necessary prerequisite for this. Some authors have argued that the youth
developmental transition to adulthood now has been extended to 29 years, lasting longer than
ever.2 This chapter is an attempt to analyze the developmental needs and tasks of youth to
positively engage with them for the building up of a better world.

Psycho Social Tasks of Youth

There are certain psychosocial tasks that all youth have to fulfill in their growth as mature
persons in the society. Recognizing and achieving these psychosocial tasks are highlighted as the
most important need of the young people by psychologists and youth workers. According to
Aristotle, the major developmental task of youth for attaining adulthood is the acquisition of
greater self-control and self-determination. “They love too much and hate too much, and the
same with everything else. They think they know everything and are always quite sure about it;
this, in fact, is why they overdo everything”. 3 Steinberg lists five sets of “psycho social issues to
1
Seligman P Martin, APA, 1998, p. 1
2
Arnett et al., 2014; Sawyer et al., 2018
3
Aristotle, Rhetoric, Book II,Chapter12.
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describe aspects of development that are both psychological and social in nature. They are
identity, autonomy, intimacy, sexuality and achievement. 4 Petro Garcia Nedia describes three
tasks, namely: 1) Sexuality: Transformation of the physical self; 2) Identity: Transformation of
the inner self; and 3) Autonomy: Transformation of decision making. 5 Based on some massive
studies, Davies A. James enlists seven goal areas where guidance is sought. They include
achievement, friends, feelings, identity, responsibility, maturity, and sexuality. 6 Among these,
autonomy, intimacy and identity are considered to be the most important and overarching tasks
and they need special attention. Let us look into these in detail.

Autonomy: Becoming an autonomous person-a self-governing person-is one of the fundamental

tasks of youth years. During youth years, there is a movement away from the dependency typical
of childhood toward the autonomy typical of adulthood. It is because of the physical, cognitive,
and social changes of this period particular that they are to be autonomous. Healthy youth
development involves not only the ability to be a successful person, but also the ability to
maintain healthy and satisfying attachments with others. Three kinds of autonomy can be
differentiated at this stage of growth. They are 1) emotional independence in relationship with
another; 2) behavioral autonomy, which refers to the independent decision-making abilities; 3)
value autonomy, which concerns the development of independent beliefs. Autonomy is indicated
by confidence and independence. A desire to make up one’s own mind, with or without listening
to the ideas of others is independence.7 Cognitive, moral, vocation and faith development
theories help us better understand the task of Autonomy. Healthy individuation and Autonomy
are fostered by close, not distant, family relations. Preto reports that “it has been found that youth
are more likely to move toward autonomy in families where they are encouraged to participate in
decision making, but where parents ultimately decide what is appropriate”. 8 These parents
frequently explain their resources for rules of conduct and expectations. However, parents’ and
other significant adults’ predispositions along the dimension of authority and control, versus
freedom and autonomy, is obviously an important factor. In Konopka’s words “those working
4
Steinberg Laurence, Adolescence, New York: McGraw-Hill, In., 1993, p.11.
5
Petro Garcia Nydia, “A Family Lifecycle Perspective” in Kehrwald Leif and Roberto John (eds),
Families and Youth: A Resource Manual, p.19-24.
6
Davies A. James, “Adolescent subculture” in Ratcliff Donald and Davies A. James (eds), Handbook on
Youth Ministry, Birmingham, Alabama: Religious Education Press, 1991, p.34.
7
Mussen Paul Henry, Conger John Janeway, Kagan Jerome, Child Development and Personality, New
York: Harper and Row Publishers, 1988, p. 630.
8
Preto, Family Life Cycle, p. 23
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and living with youths can foster healthy value formation by encouraging open discussion and
free exchange of feelings and ideas”.9 In general, healthy youth development is facilitated by
parent-youth relationships that maintain a strong affective bond while tolerating disagreement
and the expression of the young person’s growing sense of individuality.

Intimacy: Though there is a tendency to view this as an adult psychosocial task, intimacy starts
and grows in a substantial manner during youth years. An intimate relationship is an emotional
attachment between two people, characterized by the concern for each other’s wellbeing.
Intimacy is an immediate and indispensable preparation for marital life. Erikson is of the view
that real intimacy with other sex or, for that matter with any other person or even with oneself is
possible only after a reasonable sense of identity has been achieved. He speaks: “The youth who
is not sure of his identity shies away from interpersonal intimacy; but the surer he become of
himself, the more he seeks it in the form of friendship, combat, leadership, love and
inspiration”.10 The characteristics for intimate relationships are openness, honesty, self-
disclosure, and trust.11 With development, youth place more emphasis on trust and loyalty as
defining features of friendship, become more self-disclosing in their relationships, and broaden
their circle of confidents to include peers as well as family members.

According to Whitbourne, the term “intimacy in the psychological circle refers to “the
individual’s ability to enter into relationships characterized by mutuality of feelings; open and
honest communication; and enduring emotional commitments”. 12 She suggests that there are
differences among the various intimacy statuses. They are ‘Intimate Status, ‘Pseudo Intimate
Status’, ‘Merger Intimate Status’ ‘Stereotyped Status’, and ‘Isolate Status’. The first one is
characteristics of youth who have achieved a clear sense of intimacy and their relationship is a
highly mutual one in which there is considerable give and take. Persons in the second set are in
the process of working out a clear set of their intimacy commitments. They are, nevertheless,
interested in close relationships and possess the communication and conflict resolution skills.
The pseudo intimate status is marked by a false appearance of intimacy. They are committed to a
long-term commitment but in a superficial manner and fear the exposure that a truly intimate

9
Konopka Gisela, “Adolescence, Concept of, and Requirements for a Healthy Development” in
Encyclopedia of Adolescence, p.11
10
Erikson Erik, H, Identity and the life cycle, New York: W.W. Norton and company, 1979, p.101.
11
Steinberg, Adolescence, p. 347.
12
Whitbourne Krauss Susan, “Intimacy”, in Encyclopedia of Adolescence, p.557
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relationship involves. Merger intimacies fail to satisfy the criterion of mutuality in their
relationship. The identity they adopt becomes the identity of the dominant partner. The
stereotyped relationship includes the young who readily form new relationships but lack depth or
commitment. They never become close to any one-person. The isolate status persons avoid any
form of closeness or commitment. So, they have neither close friends nor romantic partners. This
classification throws very significant insight in understanding intimacy and its relation to
identity.

Identity: If youth is of pivotal importance to developing into healthy adults, then identity
development is the key task in their life. It is an arrival of a clear sense of self. All
developmental theorists propose the ways and means to form the identity of emerging
adults. The formation of identity is a key component or developmental challenge according to
the Psycho Social theory of Erikson. The term ego identity was first used by him. Marcia13
elaborated upon Erikson’s work on identity and describes four identity resolutions based on
attitudes of crises and commitment toward social roles.

Erikson’s Psycho Social Theory

Erikson is of the opinion that “in the social jungle of human existence there is no feeling
of being alive without a sense of identity”.14 The process of identity development requires
individuals to define themselves in relation to the world around them. He believed that social
experience and interaction with the world is key to development of a self-concept, a
phenomenon he described as ego identity.15 The development and maintenance of the sense of
ego identity is dependent upon the quality of recognition and support the ego receives from its
social environment. Developmental progression occurs as skills and abilities which are practiced
and experienced through progressively complicated stages marking advancement toward a more
“integrated individual”.16

In the fifth stage of epigenetic development, an individual reworks the developmental

tasks of the preceding stages and lays down the foundation for the adult life. His notion of

13
James E Marcia, “Identity in Adolescence” in Adelson Joseph. A (ed.), A Handbook of Adolescent
Psychology, New York: John Wiley and Sons,1980.
14
Erik Erikson, Insight and Responsibility, New York: W. W. Norton& Company,1964.
15
Erik Erikson, Childhood and Society, New York: W. W. Norton& Company, 1963.
16
Erik Erikson, Insight and Responsibility, pp.133-134.
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epigenesist implies that one item develops on top of another in space and time. “Anything that
grows has aground plan, and out of this ground plan, the parts arise, each part having its special
time of ascendency, until all parts have risen to form a functional whole”. 17 The self-conceptions,
self-esteem, self-image and self-consciousness of youth are changed and created on their own.
Erikson believed that the process of identity development begins during adolescence in the fifth
stage of Identity vs. Role Confusion. The successful resolution of the crisis of identity versus
identity confusion depends on how the individual has resolved the previous crises of childhood.
The term crisis is understood by Erikson not as implying danger or threatening catastrophe, but
as a “turning point”, “a second birth” with heightened potentiality for healthy personality
development”.18 Only in crisis does the best in a person reveal itself. The resolutions of crises in
the previous four stages of growth are important to the formation of a clear identity. It is
experienced as a sense of wellbeing, feeling of being at home in one’s body, a sense of knowing
where he is going, and an inner assuredness of recognition from those who count.

According to the theory of Erikson starting from infancy, there are eight stages of growth
where the individual faces and resolves inner crises with the help of the significant persons in the
society. Then they achieve one virtue or mental strength each after resolving the stage specific
crises. The first four crises are trust versus mistrust, autonomy versus shame and doubt, initiative
versus guilt, industry versus inferiority and the fifth is identity versus role confusion. Identity is
successively fostered and achieved stage by stage in an ambience where the presence and
positive influence of mother, parents, teachers, classmates, peers and friends respectively have a
significant role. If they lack such an ambience, they may fail or lag behind in overcoming the
developmental deficits of mistrust, shame, doubt, guilt, inferiority and identity confusion. The
mental strengths of Hope, Strong Will, Purpose, Competence, and Fidelity are revisited and
established as a result of the successful resolution of the crises. In the sixth stage of early adult
years, intimacy versus isolation is the crisis. Love is the emerging virtue or strength and this love
is the most important psycho social target of adulthood.19

Marcia’s Theory of Identity

17
Erik Erikson H., Crisis, p. 134.
18
Ibid, p. 96
19
Erik H Erikson, Childhood and Society, New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1963.
 6

Marcia20 has empirically elaborated upon Erikson’s work on identity versus identity
confusion, and describes four identity resolutions based on attitudes of crises and commitment
toward social roles. They are: identity achievement, foreclosure, identity diffusion, and
moratorium.21 Identity achieved persons have begun to develop personal commitments and
have an acceptance of personal continuity with the past and a more stable orientation toward
future. They feel in harmony with themselves, accept their capacities, limitations, and
opportunities. The foreclosure people have not yet experienced crises but have made
commitments determined by others: parents, religion and peers. These ‘handed over’ and
ready-made commitments were accepted without the individual’s raising of fundamental and
searching questions about them. Identity diffused individuals have no experience of identity
crises, and no commitment to vocation or set of beliefs. They are in a state of confusion and
indecision and not even in the process of searching. They avoid anxiety, crises and
confrontation by relying on other means, and it can lead to personality integration. The
moratorium of the adolescent is defined as a developmental period during which
commitments either have not yet been made, or, are rather exploratory and tentative. There
are many crises and unresolved questions here. They are not held fully accountable for
errors that might be made in trying out new roles. Marcia is of opinion that identity can be
described in three aspects. They are phenomenological, behavioral and structural. 22
Phenomenological identity is experienced as a coherent sense of the unity of oneself even
though one may play different roles at different times; it is an inner certainty that one is
more than the sum of one’s social roles. Behaviorally, one who has an identity appears to
others as committed to certain beliefs and values (ideology) and is directed in terms of a
vocational path (an occupation). Structurally, the formation of ego identity is seen as the
result of a synthesizing process whereby an individual’s need and capabilities are evaluated
in terms of their articulation with a particular society’s rewards and demands.

Faith Development Theory of James Fowler

20
James E Marcia, “Identity in Adolescence” in Adelson Joseph. A (ed.), A Handbook of Adolescent
Psychology, New York: John Wiley and Sons,1980.
21
Ibid, p.161.
22
James E Marcia, “Identity and Self-development” in Richard Lerner (ed.), Encyclopedia of
Adolescence, New York and London: Garlend Publishing INC, p. 529.
 7

In order to form a comprehensive personal identity, one’s belief and faith life play an
important role. Influenced by the perspectives of both Piaget 23 and Kohlberg24, James Fowler
provides an extensive theory of faith development. He studied how the young people come to
conceptualize their faith view and develop it. For him, faith is best understood as a verb instead
of noun.25 Faith is relating to someone or something in a way that invests our heart, our care, and
our hope. It is a commitment one makes to others, to groups, and to communities. Fowler’s
definitions and descriptions can be summarized in the following quotes. “Faith is a person’s way
of seeing him or herself in relation to others against a background of shared meaning and
purpose”.26 “Faith then, is a person’s or community’s way of being in relation to our neighbors
and to the causes and companions of our lives”.27

Donald Super’s Theory of Vocational Identity Development

The development of a vocational identity is part and parcel of personal identity

development and is critical in the life of young people. 28 “It is during the adolescent phase that
young person is clearly exposed to the values which are inherent in the society with regard to
occupations and vocations”.29 Facing the pressure of future adulthood and the precise role and
place they have in the society, questions of career, occupation and job are vital and immanent
facets of life of young people. One of the most extensive and sophisticated theories of vocational
development is that of Donald Super.30 For Super, the importance of self-concept underlies the
orientation to future work. He defines self-concept as “the individual’s picture of himself, the
perceived self with accrued meanings”. Super has emphasized the development of a vocational
self-concept. By crystallizing vocational choices, specifying vocational choices and by
implementing vocational choices one achieves vocational identity. This is also progressive in

23
Piaget J, The Psychology of the Child, New York: Basic books, 1969.
24
Kholberg, L., Colby, A., Gibbs, J., Speicher Dubin, B., and Powers, C, Assessing moral development
stages: A manual, Cambridge. Mass,: Center for Moral Education, 1978.
25
Charles Shelton, Adolescent Spirituality, New York: Crossroad, 1995, p.67
26
James Fowler, Stages of Faith: The Psychology of Human Development and Quest for Meaning, New
York: Harper San Francisco, 1981, p. 4.
27
Ibid, p.21.
28
Charles Shelton, Adolescent Spirituality, p.101.
29
Milton F. Shore, “Youth and Jobs: Educational, Occupational, and Mental Health Aspects” in Journal
of Youth and Adolescence, 1 December 1972, p. 316.
30
Donald E Super, Career Development: Self Concept Theory,1963.
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successive stages. By integrating one’s vocational self-concept with the personal self-concept the
young people function their role in the social world.

Ecological Systems Theory

Ecological Systems theory explains how the inherent qualities of a child and his
environment interact to influence the identity of a growing adult. 31 A child typically finds himself
simultaneously enmeshed in different ecosystems, from the most intimate home ecological
system moving outward to the larger school system and the most expansive system which is
society and culture. Each of these systems inevitably interacts with and influences each other in
every aspect of the child’s life. Five levels of external influence from the most intimate level to
the broadest are categorized in this model. The micro system comprises of the daily home,
school or daycare, peer group or community environment of the child. The mesosystem is the
interaction of the different Microsystems which involves linkages between home and school,
between peer group and family, or between family and church. Other people and places which
the child may not directly interact with but may still have an effect on the child, comprise the
exosystem. A best example is mass media. The macro system is composed of the child’s cultural
patterns and values, specifically the child’s dominant beliefs and ideas, as well as political and
economic systems. The chronosystem includes a change in family structure, address, parent’s
employment status, in addition to immense society changes such as economic cycles and wars.

Havighurst’s Developmental Tasks of Youth

In developmental task theory, Havighurst (1972) identified six age-specific life stages
covering birth to old age, each with a discrete set of developmental tasks. For Havighurst,
developmental tasks derived from physical maturation, personal values and the pressures of
society. “Developmental tasks of a particular group of people arise from three sources: Physical
maturation; Cultural pressure (the expectations of society); and individual aspirations and
values”.32 It is by combining developmental understanding of individual needs with social
expectations and roles that Robert Havighurst developed his psycho social theory. According to
him, the convergence of the demands of the society and needs of the individual gives rise to the
31
Urie Bronfenbrenner, The Ecology of Human Development, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University
Press,1979.
32
Havighurst, J.Robert, “Research on the Developmental Task Concept”, The School Review, Volume
64, Number 5, p. 215
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developmental tasks. There is an optimal time or ‘teachable moment’ for learning a given task.
The eight developmental tasks of youth are; i) accepting one’s body and using it effectively,
ii)achieving a masculine or feminine gender role, iii) achieving new and more mature relations
with peers of both sexes, iv) attaining emotional independence of parents and other adults, v)
preparing for an economic career, vi) preparing for marriage and family life, vii) desiring and
achieving socially responsible behavior, viii) acquiring a set of values as a guide to behavior.
These attitudes, understandings, and skills they need to attain in their lives by maturation, social
demands and personal growth. Mastery of these tasks builds self-confidence, maturity, and
adjustment in them. Failure gives rise to frustration, anxiety, social disapproval and a sense of
personal inadequacy.

Psychological Cries for Identity Achievement

The need for a clear identity is manifested in the excessive concern for self-image,
passivity, lack of confidence in themselves and their abilities, and submissive conformity to
passing fads, and a tendency of not engaging in study, work or vocational training of young
people.33 Cry for a personal identity can be heard in each and every emotion and word they
express. In the light of a survey conducted among the young, cry of self-hatred, cry of the
psychological orphan, cry of social protest, cry of the prejudiced, cry of the joyous are identified
as characteristics of youth of all ages and cultures. 34 Cry is a powerful metaphor, if patiently
heard and responsibly acted upon for healthy youth development. These five cries or
preoccupations are feelings or emotions that characterize and at times dominate many youth.
Underlying each emotion is an unspoken goal cherished by these youth. They are self-esteem,
family love, the welfare of others, a meaningful life or one’s own personal advantage
respectively. The cries can be manifest in the form of self-hatred, psychological orphan, protest,
prejudice and faith. The underlying emotions are loneliness, disillusionment, outrage, selfishness
and joy. Strommen challenges us: “if you listen, you can hear cries rising out of the data with
compelling insistence: sobs, angry shouts, hurrahs, protest, and jeers.” 35 These cries are often
mistaken for something else because they are speaking to the wider world in indirect ways. They
are disguised pleas for direction, help, and understanding.36
33
Merton P Strommen, Five Cries of Youth, Harper: SanFrancisco,1993.
34
Ibid.
35
Merton P. Strommen, Five Cries of Youth, p.14.
36
Ibid, p.4.
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The cry of self-hatred rises out of feelings of worthlessness, self-criticism, and loneliness.
Fostering self-esteem (feeling good about one) is an important response to this cry. In its
absence, alienating and self-destructive types of behavior appear and when it is present, life takes
on excitement and purpose. Feelings of worthlessness often make people turn on themselves in
anger. Concern and warmth are the key factors to promote self-esteem. This is assured by
establishing an empathic and warm relationship with them by concerned persons.

The cry of Psychological orphans is heard from among the youth living in atmospheres of
parental neglect, hate and mistrust. They desperately need the stability, support, and love of a
home. If this cry is not properly heard in time, it can end in running away from home, delinquent
behavior, suicide, or other self-destructive behavior. An analysis of this cry clearly indicates and
demands that ministry to youth must include ministry to parents and families.

The cry of Social Concern indicated the need to establish congregational life. Belonging to a
group where there is candor and care among the members is most attractive to these people. If
they don’t get such groups, they will seek out other options and may end up in terrorists ‘groups.
These youth are humanitarian, oriented to change, socially involved, concerned over national
issues and critical of the institutional structures. When they criticize, they indirectly
communicate that ‘I am grown up’ ‘give me a space, I shall join with you to better our
community’.

The cry of the prejudiced is the cry of racists and bigots who pride themselves on being self-
made people. Their characteristics are prejudice, institutional loyalty, self-oriented values, and
do-it-yourself religion. These people are afflicted with the disease of utilitarianism, a self-
centered preoccupation with advancement, security in one’s own little world and religion.
Ministries to these groups of people are extremely important because many of them become the
oppressors of the minority people and supporters of injustice.

Cry of the Joyous group youth have found a meaning system that brings order into their lives
and gives answers to ultimate questions of existence. The characteristics of these committed
youth are sense of personal God, active with people, desire to grow, desire to serve, hopeful
outlook and moral responsibility. They value relationship with others, service, ethical life, love,
meaningful work, forgiveness, honesty, and family happiness. It is a feeling of being a whole
 11

person. Its dominant characteristic is identification with a God who loves and with a people who
care about.

Social Context of Fluidity and Uncertainty

As a result of the rapid and irrevocable changes that are happening in the day today lives
of contemporary society, a situation of fluidity and uncertainty is created and maintained in the
social lives of young people. They become vulnerable and insecure because of social unease and
economic difficulties. Economic and social changes have affected the areas of obligations and
opportunities. The economic hardships of the family have great impact on the growth and
fulfillment of young people. They tend to withdraw themselves into a stereotype of passivity and
indifference. Their aspirations, needs, feelings and manner of relating to others have also
changed. They are confused to take right choices in life and this has a great impact in the way
they live in the society. Definitive choices are becoming irrelevant for them and this has an
adverse effect in the affective relationships. Sadness and loneliness appear to be on the rise
because of the technologically dominated machines and gadgets the science promises to the
young generation.

Economic globalization accompanied by exploitation and unemployment increase the

flexibility in the labor market. The world of work is overloaded with options which can be
reversed very often. They struggle to find a suitable career and experience and a dramatic
absence of opportunities for work. Inability and insufficiency to continue in a single career pause
obstacles in achieving economic independence. A privileged few take advantage of the
opportunities and the weak are marginalized because of the cutthroat competition. Search for
short term profits build a strong foundation for a throw away culture. Environmental degradation
caused by indiscriminate exploitation of natural resources threatens the future of younger
generations.

Internal and international migration force young people to live in a society and a culture
different from those of their parents. Though homogeneous youth culture emerges in all parts of
the world, they remain attached to their local surroundings and to their unique cultural and
institutional settings. Young people are attracted to religious fundamentalism and fanaticism and
terrorism. Discrimination and insecurity to young girls for a free and fair life have gone beyond
limits.
 12

Communal and party Politics based on fundamentalist ideologies, religion, caste and
ethnicity is playing an indecent and crooked role of political bargaining by buying young people
for them. As victims and preys of petty political interests, youth are given opportunities to
ventilate their anger in destroying the life of opponents. By recruiting young people to terrorist
and fanatic groups they are providing them an outlet to vent their frustration and anger as well as
to fulfill their need for recognition and belonging. Violent media dump malicious waste during
night discussions on TV channels and create a negative attitude and approach to anything and
everything. Time killing use and misuse of social media and the traps and tragedies attached to it
affect their interpersonal relationships in families and society. There is discrepancy between
young people who are passive and discouraged and those that are enterprising and energetic.
This comes from the concrete opportunities offered or denied to each one in society and family
where one develops.

Virtual world of selfies and risks has a very real effect in the lives and relationships of the
young people. They are secluded and segregated from the real world of people to their own
technical world of cell phones, selfies and games. Modern technologies and digitalization of
communication have provided opportunities of various ways to educate themselves and excel in
intellectual pursuits. The conception of God, the world, the human relations and all other realities
have drastically changed because of all these advances and access in the field of communication.
Because of the influence of cultures foreign to them, freedom is conceived as the possibility of
trying instant alternatives and opportunities without discretion and permanent commitment.
Thus, the process of decision making has become harder requiring suitable cultural, social and
spiritual means. Young people are in an age of change in body and mind. They are undergoing
through a change in themselves as they traverse in this fluid and uncertain world. Unless and
until they become and be the agents of change for a better today and tomorrow they cannot enjoy
fully the unique joy of the age. They are the vital force of the society capable of changing the
course of history. They have to innovate themselves with the opportunities and paths that can
change their destiny and develop the world they lead.

Positive Engagement with Youth

The psycho social, cognitive, moral, faith, vocational and ecological theories shed light to
understand the psychological search of the young to build a personal identity. All these facets of
 13

youth growth are important to understand the inherent strength of the youth and the influential
contexts that foster or weaken these. A positive engagement with youth is necessary and is the
urgent need of the hour. Their cry for direction, help, understanding, encouragement and
accompaniment are to be listened and to be responded seriously. Concluding a discussion on
different developmental theories, Shelton summarizes five important insights to be followed in
helping youth to form their personal identity.37 Without generalizing everyone, uniqueness of
each and every youth is to be respected. Youth is in search of a self- in relation- to -others, the
world, various roles, friendships and personal relationships. A process of change is happening in
their emotions, attitudes, values, knowledge, and in the physical self. As a result of growing in
reflective criticism, they develop personally constructed ideas, attitudes and values. All aspects
of youth growth happening in intellectual, emotional and physical levels are to be integrated.
Youth is the time of discovery of self with all its goodness and uniqueness. We have to ever
remember that “the period of youth is the time of a particularly intense discovery of the human
“I” and of the properties and capacities connected with it”.38

Mutuality and Mission of All: After analyzing the five cries of youth, Strommen draws our
attention to two imperatives in youth ministry that is mutuality and mission. Youth of all sub-
cultures wants the warmth of an accepting group, which is mutuality. They need activities that
give them a sense of purpose; that is mission. To achieve these imperatives, educational
experiences are needed for youth and adults that open minds, develop skills, clarify values, and
encourage commitment. The findings of this study also challenge the adequacy of a youth
ministry that is all educational programs, all social involvement, all socializing activities, or all
cognitive inculcation. An integration of all these is the ideal. The entire community should feel
the responsibility of educating new generations. Pointing out personal and institutional points of
reference for young people, we need to stress the need of young people to have persons of
reference to deal with their emotions and feelings. These persons “are able to express empathy,
offer them support, encouragement and help them in recognizing their limits, but without making
them feel they are being judged”.39 In addition, they are supposed to be credible, consistent and
37
Charles Shelton, Adolescent Spirituality, p.101, pp. 112-113.

38
John Paul II, Apostolic Letter Dilecti Amici, No.3.
39
XV Ordinary General Assembly, Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment, I, 2.
 14

honest. Requiring greater listening, respect and dialogue, the signs of the times invite the whole
people of the country to be these persons of reference on both personal and communitarian basis.
This requires authentic faith in youth, with a clear human identity, a strong sense of belonging to
the nation, a visible spiritual character, a strong passion for education and a great capacity for
discernment. All families, school, and communities have assets –or the “nutrients” or “building
blocks” of healthy, positive development.

The Role of Parents and Families: All the above-mentioned theories propose a positive
involvement and interaction of parents and family members in fostering identity, autonomy and
intimacy in young people. Analyzing the five cries of youth, Strommen reminded us that youth
are inherently invested with positive potentialities and possibilities. In order to build a strong
identity, it is necessary to develop the coping skills, social supports, and self-esteem of young
people. In order to respond to these cries of the young people they need adults that open minds,
develops skills, clarify values and encourage commitment. The role of parents and families is
crucial, yet sometimes problematic. The older generations often tend to underestimate young
people’s potential. They emphasize their weaknesses and have trouble understanding the needs
of those who are very young. They do not have a clear idea of how to help young people focus
on the future. “Young people have a strong desire for reference persons among their peers.
Consequently, they need opportunities for free interaction with them, to be able to express their
feelings and emotions, to learn in an informal manner and to experiment with roles and abilities
without stress and anxiety”.40 That is why the associations and patriotic movements for youth are
to be promoted and fostered with utmost interest.

Youth Participation in Social Commitment: Youth psychosocial development and wellbeing

is influenced by individual and environmental/contextual factors associated with them. By
Promoting bonding; Fostering of resiliency; Promoting competencies; Encouraging self-
determination.; Fostering spirituality; Developing self-efficacy; Nurturing a clear and positive
identity; Fostering belief in the future; Recognizing positive behavior; Providing opportunities
for prosocial involvement and establishing prosocial norms they will flourish and contribute
much for the good of the society. 41 Young people yearn for belonging and participation.
40
Ibid.
41
Dwight L. Evans ( Ed) et.al, The positive Perspective on youth Development in Treating and Preventing
Adolescent Mental Health Disorders : What We Know and What We Don't Know. A Research Agenda for
 15

Walking with Young People and working with them for their joy are to be highlighted as the
most relevant approach in harvesting the resources of youth. They do not see themselves as a
disadvantaged class or a social group to be protected. They do not conceive themselves as
passive recipients of programs or policies of the Governments and institutions they belong. Many
of them wish to be an active part in the process of change taking place at this present time for the
betterment of the world. When and where they feel that they lack opportunities to participate or
receive encouragement they show intolerance. At the grass-root level, by involvement and
innovation, the young people view themselves as major, leading characters of change together
with other people. They have the willingness and readiness to participate and commit themselves
to concrete activities in which the personal contribution of each might be an occasion for
recognizing one’s identity.

Sometimes, we find youth being attracted to certain extremist organizations. 42 Some seek
out such groups. This validates the findings of the theories we analyzed in this article. Youth
always look for the best opportunities to fulfill their psychosocial tasks and needs. Their
psychological cry for identity is well explained by this study. This report further explains that the
potential recruits have an unfulfilled need to define themselves. Extremist group’s ability to turn
them to violence is rooted in what each seeks: Revenge seekers need an outlet for their
frustration, status seekers need recognition identity seekers need a group to join, and thrill
seekers need adventure. And the young believe that they get all these there in such antihuman
movements. Hate and violence promoting power politics also exploit such youth for coming into
power and to remain in power.

The principal contribution of this study is a prevention-and-communications strategy

targeting the specific mental framework and psychological needs of each type of seeker. This can
be applied in the wider context of Youth ministry. The report suggests that to prevent
radicalization, calm the revenge seeker with programs to vent his frustration (e.g., sports,
Improving the Mental Health of Our Youth. August 2005, p.497-528,
https://doi.org/10.1093/9780195173642.003.0027.

42
Venhaus Colonel John M. Matt, “Why Youth Join al-Qaeda”, United States Institute of Peace SPECIAL
REPORT 236.May 2010, https://www.usip.org › sites › default › files, accessed on August 27, 2022.
 16

creative arts, political discussion outlets, young adult mentors); promote the status seeker with
opportunities to show off his self-perceived talents (e.g., local political participation,
international exchange programs); give the identity seeker groups to join sports leagues, model
governments, student societies, community service programs, adventure groups. Individual
seekers have distinct psychological, societal, economic, and cultural factors motivating them to
pursue membership or affiliation in such organizations. These factors are to be discovered
addressed by the local communities and self-government bodies.

Conclusion

It is Goethe who taught: "If you treat an individual as he is, he will remain how he is. But if you
treat him as if he were what he ought to be and could be, he will become what he ought to be and
could be”. In this article, we explored the psychological reality of youth to treat them what they
ought to be, the builders of a world of love. I would like to conclude this study with the help of
the five C’s of positive youth development (PYD). PYD perspective focused on recognizing
psychosocial strengths of youth and providing social environments that contribute to their
development, including promoting wellbeing.43 Integral development of youth can be operational
led by the “five Cs” of PYD—competence, confidence, connection, character, and caring. 44
Competence represents an ability to navigate youth contexts effectively in order to achieve
desired goals. Confidence arises when the navigation of one’s context results in feelings of
personal agency and self-worth. Character represents the internalization of moral standards
through repeated person-context relations as well as the behavioral manifestations of that moral
code. Caring indicates developmentally and contextually appropriate levels of concern for others,
and connection requires that the individual be embedded in, and supported by, a reliable and
diverse social network45.

These C’s summarize well all that we have discussed in this chapter about the personal
identity development of youth. With competence and confidence let our youth connect with
character and care. The psychological strength that is attained after resolving the crisis of
intimacy versus Isolation at the sixth stage of psycho social growth of Erik Erikson is Love.
Love is the utmost psychosocial task, strength and need of youth. Intimacy, autonomy and
43
Richardson et al., 2017
44
Bowers et al., 2010; Geldhof et al., 2014; Lerner et al., 2014
45
Ibid.
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Identity are interlinked in Love. This Love is appreciated and propagated as the most powerful
force in the world.46 It is Karl Menninger who after decades of psychotherapy experience shares
the secret of success in therapy that it is unlove that makes people unwell, and it is love and love
alone that can make them well again. Let us win/win with the competence of love. Let us love
with confidence. Let us connect with wireless love. Let love be our character. In love let us take
care of our planet. According to Erikson this love is built upon Hope, Will, Purpose,
Competence and Fidelity. The seventh mental virtue built upon love is Care. Love with its
generative capacity enables everyone to care everyone. In love, let us work together for a world
of wellbeing with our youth.

46
Rhonda Byrne, The Power, New York: Athriya books, 2010.
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