This widens the gap between the adoptee and other family members. Even if there is a physical similarity to the adoptive family, teens know there are unknown people somewhere who look exactly just like them. More significant is the internalizing of the adoptive process. The teenager has a cognitive ability to do abstract thinking. Unlike the younger child, he or she can combine logical thinking with a wider breath of options.
All issues become magnified.
The adolescent is involved in intensive self-reflection during this time period. Teenagers think the world is staring at them. No one else can feel how they feel. The most important part of adolescence is developing a sense of self confidence that allows teens to progress toward being independently functioning adults. This is often described as identity formation.