Investigation of adolescents childhood experiences, memory of happiness and identity development

The study aims to examine the childhood experiences, memories of happiness, and identity development of adolescents. The target population of the study consists of adolescents studying in high schools affiliated with the Ministry of National Education in Samsun City Center. The research sample consists of a total of 286 adolescents studying in the 11th and 12th grades of high schools, selected by a stratified random sampling method. In the study, the "Personal Information Form," "Childhood Happiness/Peace Memories Scale," "Childhood Experiences Scale," and "Dimensions of Identity Development Scale" were used as data collection tools. Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis H test, and Spearman's Rank Correlation Test were used to analyze the data. As a result of the study, the scores of adolescents on the childhood experiences scale show a significant difference according to living with grandparents. Nevertheless, the scores of adolescents on the childhood experiences scale show a statistically significant difference according to the number of siblings variable and the scores obtained from the childhood experiences (adverse experiences) scale according to the parents' educational level. In addition, the scores obtained from the childhood experiences scale according to the marital status of the parents and the scores obtained from the childhood experiences scale according to the type of school show a statistically significant difference. The levels of happiness and peace in childhood scale show a significant difference according to the number of siblings, father's educational level, and type of school. Adolescents' identity development showed a significant difference in the sub-dimension of identification with commitment according to spending time with grandparents. Adolescents' identity development showed a significant difference in the sub-dimension of exploration's breadth according to the father's educational level. According to the type of school, adolescents' scores on the dimensions of the identity development scale show a significant difference in the sub-dimensions of ruminative exploration and exploration in breadth. There is also a significant negative and weak relationship between the scores obtained from the Childhood Experiences Scale and the sub-dimensions of the identity development scale's commitment, exploration in breadth, identification with commitment, and exploration in depth, and a weak positive relationship between ruminative exploration. However, it was determined that there was a significantly weak positive relationship between the scores obtained from the Childhood Happiness/Peace Memories Scale and the sub-dimensions of the Identity Development Scale's commitment, exploration in breadth, identification with commitment, and exploration in depth.