The role of education in narrative identity construction of young people: Focusing on young adoptees

Resumo

During the period of adolescence, the need arises for the individual construct an identity enabler of a productive interplay with the surrounding world. The process of identity construction embeds the development of a sense of unity and purpose that mediates the equilibrium between the society demands for the individual to fit and the individual’s psychological well-being. Throughout this process, the formal school education plays a critical role. The current study examines the role school education held in three adopted youths’ construction of narrative identity and search for psychological well-being. Life narratives have been utilized in three case studies with young adopted. The narratives were analysed in reference to the Narrative Matrix Analysis System. All three narratives emphasized the school education period as the chronological benchmark that organized and influenced their identity construction and search for support towards belonging and adapting to the society demands.