Establishment of identity represents a normative developmental crisis at adolescence. It is commonly speculated that adopted adolescents find resolution of the identity crisis especially difficult. Some theorists and researchers suggest that adoptees who search for information about their birth heritage have failed to make satisfactory progress toward identity formation. Resolution of Erikson's identity/diffusion and intimacy/isolation crises was explored in relation to adoptive and search motivation status modified by selected family and personal attributes. Subjects were 83 adoptees and 81 nonadoptees between the ages of 18 and 35 years. Multiple analysis of covariance showed development varied more with family and personal attributes (sex, age, anxiety, and family conflict) than with adoptive or search status. Results did not reveal sex differences for identity/diffusion, but females were more advanced than males in resolving the intimacy/isolation crisis. Based on these findings, speculation that adoptees are less successful in resolving the identity/diffusion crisis seems unwarranted, and search motivation appears more a concomitant of capacity for intimacy than deficiency in identity resolution. (Author/NB)