The impact of early adolescent conventional attitudes and friendships, positive goals, and drug use on age-appropriate developmental behaviors was assessed using the theoretical paradigm of the Erikson developmental stages of identity, intimacy, and generativity. Assessment points at Years 1, 13, and 21 from a longitudinal community study (N = 477) were used. Outcomes examined when the participants were in their 20s and 30s included agency and efficacy, satisfying personal and intimate relationships, life satisfaction, and drug use. Conventional friendships at early adolescence predicted positive relationships with friends, family, and intimate partners. Agentic motivations in adolescence predicted more efficacy and better relationships in Year 13. Healthy identity formation in early adolescence facilitated the development of greater intimacy in young adulthood. Successful intimacy formation in young adulthood encouraged the development of a successful dyadic relationship and predicted greater life satisfaction in later adulthood.
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