Friendship group identification, multidimensional self‐concept, and experience of developmental tasks in adolescence

<jats:title>ABSTRACT</jats:title><jats:p>This study applied a social identity perspective to the study of adolescent self‐concept and social development. British adolescents aged 14–15 years (<jats:inline-graphic xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="graphic/jadbf04030-math-0001.png" xlink:title="urn:x-wiley:01401971:media:jadbf04030:jadbf04030-math-0001" />) completed a questionnaire which asked them to: (i) rate their degree of identification with a school‐based friendship group; (ii) complete a measure of multi‐dimensional self‐concept; and (iii) report their experiences of a variety of personal, relational and socio‐institutional (e.g., achieving economic independence) developmental tasks. Compared to low identifiers, participants who were highly identified with a friendship group reported highest levels of self‐esteem; and these differences were most marked in non‐academic domains of self. High identifiers also displayed higher levels of general self‐esteem and reported more positive experiences of personal and relational developmental tasks. The discussion focuses on the potential benefits to understanding of social developmental processes that can be derived from a consideration of adolescents’ subjective appraisals of their peer relations.</jats:p>