ABSTRACT
Negotiating and understanding different aspects of one’s identity is a central feature of development during adolescence and early adulthood. Major psychological theories concerning the development of identity assume a model of optimal or mature development that is itself culturally constructed. Understanding the dynamics of identity development in the children of immigrants—the role of the family, intergenerational consensus and conflict, the distinctive contribution of gender—reveals the nature of these cultural constructions. It is therefore important to consider not only how theories of identity development can be applied to understanding the challenges faced by the children of immigrants, but also how the experiences of immigrant families can advance existing theories.
