Ego Identity Status and Psychological Well-Being Among Turkish Emerging Adults

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of gender and ego identity status (identity achievement, moratorium, foreclosure, and identity diffusion) in predicting psychological well-being among Turkish emerging adults. The study sample comprised 301 emerging adults aged 19–25 years (mean age: 22.03; SD = 1.46) who were attending a university. Self-reporting scales were used to assess ego identity status (Extended Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status) and psychological well-being (Multi-Dimensional Psychological Well-Being Scale). Hierarchical regression analysis showed identity achievement to be a positive predictor of all psychological well-being dimensions whereas moratorium, foreclosure, and identity diffusion were found to be negative predictors of several well-being dimensions. These results suggest that identity commitment following exploration of possible alternatives is an important factor in the psychological well-being of emerging adults in a non-Western cultural context.