Identity Status Interview Research Articles

Knowing Me, Knowing You: Changes in Parental Representations Among Established Adults Going Through Progressive Identity Development

AbstractDeveloping and revising one’s identity is a lifelong task, one that influences and is influenced by close relationships in the individual’s social context. For emerging adults, different approaches to identity formation have been associated with different ways of relating to their parents; however, little is known about how identity development and views on one’s parents interact beyond the emerging adult years. In the present study, we addressed this gap by examining changes in how established adults describe and relate to internal representations of their parents as they develop from identity foreclosure to identity achievement, an identity status transition that is considered progressive and has been related to shifts in parental representations in younger samples. From a longitudinal study using the Identity Status Interview (Marcia et al., Ego identity: A handbook for psychosocial research, Springer, 1993), we selected participants coded as foreclosed at age 29 and identity achieved at age 33 (N = 18). A case study approach was used to analyze individual changes in parental representations, and a thematic analysis was conducted to identify themes across cases. The findings show that progressive identity development in established adulthood may involve making more reflective comparisons between oneself and one’s parents, describing one’s parents more as whole persons, and relating to parental influence with greater independence and agency. The results highlight the continued importance of parents for adult identity development, and that progressive identity development in established adulthood may involve increased complexity in representations of both oneself and one’s parents.

Learner Identity and Lifelong Learning: A Mixed-Method Study

Learning is on the one side happing every day. On the other side, adult participation in (formal and non-formal) learning is low, especially in Germany and for certain subgroups (e.g., with low educational attainment). It is well known that with the acquisition of knowledge over a lifetime many positive findings are associated. Hence, we propose that measuring learner identity might be a helpful construct for predicting and influencing lifelong learning. However, measurement options for learner identity are sparse. Hence, the present paper tries to adapt and validate a scale to measure learner identity. For that, we first adapted the Dimensions of Identity Development Scale questionnaire (Luyckx et al., 2008). Second, internal construct validity and external construct validity were established. For the latter, as in other studies, self-esteem, depressive symptoms (Luyckx et al., 2008) and openness (Crocetti et al., 2008) were used. Curiosity and epistemological beliefs were assessed as well, because according to the division of cognitive labor, we must gain knowledge from different sources to deal with life’s complexity (Bromme, 2005). Third, Marcia’s identity status (1964) was identified using a clustering approach. The mean age of the 124 participants was 21.90 years (SD = 3.23). Most participants were female (80.6%), and the majority were studying for a teaching post at the bachelor’s level (68.5%). Finally, one student per identity status was interviewed (n = 4) using a topic guide based on Marcia’s (1964) identity status interview. In this way, an explanatory mixed-method design was applied (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2011). Both, the quantitative and the qualitative approach seem fruitful to assess learner identity. Analysis indicated that learner identity is different from epistemological beliefs. Learner identity is highly relevant to how learning situations are approached and how strong the commitment to learning activities and goals is.

Identity development in early adulthood.

This longitudinal study investigated identity development across early adulthood. To examine both stability and change in identity development, an explanatory mixed-methods design was employed. First, patterns of identity status development across early adulthood were examined, followed by an in-depth qualitative approach to understand more about the processes within identity status stability from the late 20s into the 30s. Analyses revealed group-level changes in identity status across ages 25 (Mage = 24.9, SD = 0.7), 29 (Mage = 29.3, SD = 0.6), and 33 (Mage = 33.3, SD = 0.5) among the 118 participants, with fewer individuals in moratorium and more in identity achievement in later years. Stable identity statuses with established commitments (identity achievement and foreclosure) were by far the most common patterns across early adulthood. To understand how early adults maintain their identity within these stable patterns, we employed longitudinal qualitative analyses of identity status interviews from ages 29 and 33. These analyses revealed 3 processes of identity development: approach to change (willingness to adjust and evolve previously established commitments), story integration (thematic and temporal integration, and metaexploration of previous identity work), and participation in a broader life context (identity expanding beyond personal aspirations). Together, these findings show that there is identity status change toward maturity across early adulthood and high stability within individual patterns. The findings also show that stable identity achievement facilitates further deepening within the three processes of identity development, and that stable foreclosure can be connected to both weakening and deepening in identity development. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

“It’s a New Chapter Now”: Establishing Commitments in the Romantic Domain during Young Adulthood

ABSTRACTThis longitudinal study examines identity development in the domain of romantic relationships during young adulthood and what the process of establishing commitments without exploration in this domain involves. Identity status in the romantic relationships domain was assessed for 118 Swedish individuals at the ages of 29 and 33, using the Identity Status Interview. Identity diffusion was less common at age 33 than at age 29, whereas foreclosure, moratorium, and identity achievement were equally common at both ages. The majority of those assigned to identity diffusion at age 29 had transitioned to identity foreclosure by age 33. These nine participants were selected as a subsample for further analysis of the process of commitment-making, and changes in their identity narratives between age 29 (before establishing commitments) and age 33 (after establishing commitments) were examined using case-based thematic analysis. The results suggest that the commitment-making process involves changes in identity content, such as having more elaborate and positive views on romantic relationships, as well as changes related to identity processes, including narrating one’s experiences and views concerning romantic relationships in a more temporally integrated way.

The Identity Status Continuum Revisited

Abstract. The developmental continuum of identity status has been a topic of theoretical debate since the early 1980’s. A recent meta-analysis and recent studies with dual cycle models lead to two conclusions: (1) during adolescence there is systematic identity maturation; (2) there are two continuums of identity status progression. Both continuums show that in general adolescents move from transient identity statuses to identity statuses that mark the relative endpoints of development: from diffusion to closure, and from searching moratorium and moratorium to closure and achievement. This pattern can be framed as development from identity formation to identity maintenance. In Identity Status Interview research using Marcia’s model, not the slightest indication for a continuum of identity development was found. This may be due to the small sample sizes of the various studies leading to small statistical power to detect differences in identity status transitions, as well as developmental inconsistencies in Marcia’s model. Findings from this review are interpreted in terms of life-span developmental psychology.

Vocational identity development among unaccompanied refugee minors

This study examined educational aspirations and vocational identity formation among unaccompanied refugees in Norway. In Phase 1 we employed questionnaire data from 918 unaccompanied refugees to investigate the effects of demographic information, pre-migration trauma, mental health and acculturation-related factors on their educational aspirations. In Phase 2, data from Identity Status Interviews (ISI) with 29 participants was analyzed to obtain information about vocational identity status distribution and to examine core themes and contextual factors underlying their vocational choices. The findings from Phase 1 showed that none of the theoretically and empirically based included variables had a significant effect on their aspirations. Moreover, the overall regression model was non-significant. We discussed these findings in relation to the strong motivation among unaccompanied minors to create better lives for themselves than they could have in the countries they fled from, irrespective of their traumatic experiences and mental health problems. In Phase 2 the most important themes emerging from the ISIs revolved around age, time, and economics. The remedial education to bridge the pre-flight gap in formal education meant that the unaccompanied refugee youth entered upper secondary school at substantially older ages than their classmates. Their older ages then led them to prioritize economic considerations in making vocational choices, since the support from the Child Welfare Services is discontinued when they reach the age of majority. Consequently, most of them chose short vocational paths toward earning a living, rather than complex roads that led to the realization of their own long-term aspirations. This may have limited the social mobility of unaccompanied refugees.

Identity Formation in Adulthood: A Longitudinal Study from Age 27 to 50

ABSTRACTLongitudinal patterns of identity formation were analyzed in a representative cohort group of Finnish men and women born in 1959 across ages 27, 36, 42, and 50. The data were drawn from the Jyväskylä Longitudinal Study of Personality. Identity status (diffused, moratorium, foreclosed, achieved) from all four ages was available for 172 participants (54% females). Marcia’s Identity Status Interview used in this research included five domains: religious beliefs, political identity, occupational career, intimate relationships, and lifestyle. The findings indicated great variability in identity status across domains at each age level, and the identity trajectories fluctuated from age 27 to 50. The developmental trend from age 27 to 50 was moderately progressive (toward achievement) for the five domains and for overall identity, with the exception of a slightly regressive trend in male religious identity. Remaining stable in the same status category across the four measurements was rare and emerged only for diffusion in the ideological domains. Women generally outnumbered men in identity achievement at earlier ages, but the gender differences diminished in most domains at age 50, except in religious identity. In women overall diffusion decreased over time, but in men it remained at about 20% at ages 42 and 50.

Identity development in the late twenties: a never ending story.

The aim of this study was to investigate identity development in the late 20s in order to learn more about the continued identity development after identity commitments have been made. The starting point for the study was the contradiction between ideas of identity development as a lifelong process and identity status research showing that stability in identity development is common, particularly so once identity-defining commitments have been made. Identity status interviews were performed with 124 Swedish individuals (63 women) at ages 25 and 29. The 4 identity statuses were equally common at both ages, and stability in identity status between measurements was a typical pattern for individuals assigned to all identity statuses, except moratorium. Longitudinal analysis of interviews from participants assigned to identity achievement, or foreclosure at both occasions, resulted in a model of continued identity development after commitments have been made. The model showed that relevant processes in this identity development are: the ways in which individuals approach changing life conditions, to what extent they continue to engage in meaning making, and how they continue to develop their personal life direction. Identity achievement was connected to continued identity development, whereas developmental patterns connected to foreclosure were more diverse. In conclusion, the study showed that, regardless of identity status change or stability, identity development continues in the late 20s, also beyond identity achievement. Moreover, continued identity development is needed for an established sense of identity to stay adaptive and flexible.

Dating and Identity Development Among IsiXhosa Speaking Adolescents

This study explored dating and identity development among IsiXhosa speaking adolescents in South Africa. The participants were 40 Grade 12 learners (females = 50%) aged between 17 and 24 years. Data were collected using identity status interviews and analyzed descriptively. Females were best represented in the identity diffusion status while males inclined towards the moratorium identity.

Religious Identity and Decision Making Among IsiXhosa-Speaking Youth

This article presents the results from a study investigating the relationship between religious identity and decision making among IsiXhosa-speaking high school learners from schools in Cape Town, South Africa. Participants were fourty (40) 12th Grade learners (females = 50%; males 50%, age range 17 to 24 years). They completed the Identity Status Interviews (Grotevant, 1987). Descriptive statistics were used to analyze data for this exploratory study. The results suggested females to commit themselves to the religious views with which they were brought up whereas to a greater extent than males. Male learners were more tentative in their religious identity. Religious identity might influence life choices among IsiXhosa-speaking culture youths.

Between Integrity and Despair: Toward Construct Validation of Erikson’s Eighth Stage

A new measure of Erikson’s final psychosocial stage, Integrity versus Despair, is presented and validated across two studies. In the first, 97 adults (68 women and 31 men) aged 65 and older responded to this measure: the Self-Examination Interview (SEI). Responses on the SEI were treated both categorically and dimensionally (continuous scores) with respect to four integrity statuses: Integrated, Nonexploring, Pseudointegrated, and Despairing. In Study One, categorical and dimensional Integrity statuses were examined in relation to five convergent measures: the Integrity subscale of the Modified Eriksonian Psychosocial Inventory, Openness to Experience, the Competence subscale of the California Personality Inventory, the Geriatric Depression Scale, and Perceived Health. As hypothesized, Integrated respondents were socially competent and resilient; Nonexploring persons conventional; Pseudointegrated respondents immature; and Despairing persons, demoralized. A subsample of participants took a semi-structured Adult Identity Status Interview. Integrated persons were most often Identity Achieved; Pseudointegrated and Nonexploring persons were most often Foreclosed. Study Two evaluated a new sample of 70 persons (51 women and 19 men) aged 70 and older. It generally confirmed the Integrity statuses developed in Study One, extending them to variables related to complexity and maturity of sociomoral reasoning and thinking style. As expected, the Integrated status was negatively related, and the Nonexploring status positively related, to intolerance for ambiguity. The highest levels of sociomoral reasoning occurred most in the Integrated status group, as did dialectical reasoning. In contrast, the Nonexploring and Despairing statuses had more formistic-mechanistic reasoners. Pseudointegrated persons produced the highest number of invalid protocols. The importance of present findings and implications of these studies for future directions in integrity research are discussed.

Capturing identity: quantitative and qualitative methods

Part 1 Preface Chapter 2 Theory and Measure: The Identity Status Interview Chapter 3 Assessing Identity as the Meaningfulness of Meanings-The Flensburg Identity Status Interview (FISI) Chapter 4 Designing the Long View: Lessons from a Qualitative Longitudinal Study on Identity Development Chapter 5 A Content Analysis of Narratives from a Categorical and Holistic Point of View to Study Changes after a Rite of Passage Chapter 6 Qualitative Research on Adolescence, Identity, Narration: Programmatic and Empirical Examples Chapter 7 Analyzing Identity Using a Voice Approach Chapter 8 Draw Your Life! Investigating Pictorial Representations of Life Courses Chapter 9 To Explore and to Commit: A German Version of the Utrecht-Groningen Identity Development Scale (U-GIDS) Chapter 10 Relationships with Parents and Identity in Adolescence: A Review of Twenty-five Years of Research Chapter 11 Well-diffused? Identity Diffusion and Well-being in Emerging Adulthood Chapter 12 Continuity, Change, and Mechanisms of Identity Development Chapter 13 Identity Formation: Qualitative and Quantitative Methods of Inquiry Chapter 14 Epilogue Part 15 Index

Career Identity Related Decision Making among IsiXhosa-Speaking Adolescents

This study investigated career identity development among IsiXhosa speaking adolescents in South Africa. A sample of 40 Grade 12 learners, comprising 20 females and 20 males participated in the study (Age range 17 to—24 years). The Identity Status Interview of Grotevant and Cooper (1981), which is based on Marcia's Identity Status (1964) was used to investigate identity development. Marked gender differences were found, with about 75 percent of the males classified into the achievement status, as opposed to only 35 percent of the females. In addition, 55 percent of the females were more foreclosed in their career decision making as compared to only 15 percent of the males. Relatively more females than males tended to make career decisions without thoroughly exploring career possibilities. This tendency may be related to traditional stereotyping and perceptions regarding family obligations and community expectations, which may limit career options for women.

Reflexões sobre o acesso empírico da teoria de identidade de Erik Erikson

O texto apresenta uma tentativa de apropriação da teoria de Erikson para as pesquisas sobre identidade, caras no campo educacional e na psicologia. Para tornar a teoria de desenvolvimento psicossocial de Erikson acessível empiricamente, James E. Marcia desenvolveu a “Identity Status Interview” (ISI), que procura nos campos “profissão”, “relacionamento/família” e “valores/ideologia” indicadores para as variáveis “compromisso” e “exploração/crise”. O resultado é “o estado da identidade” da pessoa. O tema deste texto é a própria reflexão e continuação do desenvolvimento da ISI. Teoricamente, pergunta-se como a concepção dos “estados da identidade” deixa-se deduzir da teoria de Erikson. Em relação ao método questiona-se se a concepção do estado de identidade é apropriada para a investigação da identidade e se a ISI é um instrumento adequado para investigar o estado de identidade. As construções do pesquisador serão baseadas nas construções dos entrevistados? Como a perspectiva do entrevistado deixa-se integrar no processo de pesquisa? A preocupação com essas questões nos direciona para uma inovação do método de ISI, agora denominado “Identity Status Interview “Modificado” (MISI), e para o desenvolvimento de um modelo de processo da crise de identidade.Palavras-chave: identidade; Erik H. Erikson; modelo de processo da crise de identidade; Identity Status Interview Modificado (MISI).

Status Identitas Etnik pada Mahasiswa Etnik Sunda dan Cina

This study aimed to get description of the Ethnic Identity Status of Sundanese and Chinese ethnic background at Maranatha Christian University in Bandung. 49 students from Sundanese ethnicity and 98 students Chinese ethnicity are chosen as sample. Phinney’s Ethic Identity Status interview are used to collect data while, Chi Quadrate are used to analyses the data. Result show that is a difference (Chi square X2 = 4.930; a = 0.01) between the ethnic identity status of Sundanese and Chinese Ethnic Students. The two group have a low percentage on Achieved Ethnic Identity. Sundanese students have higher percentage on Foreclosure Ethnic Identity (57.14 %) while students of Chinese ethnicity have a higher percentage on Moratorium (Ethnic Identity Search = 58.16%).Key words: Ethnic Identity Status; Identity Achieved, Moratorium, Foreclosure, and Diffusion.

STATUS IDENTITAS ETNIK PADA MAHASISWA ETNIK SUNDA DAN CINA

This study aimed to get description of the Ethnic Identity Status of Sundanese and Chinese ethnic background at Maranatha Christian University in Bandung. 49 students from Sundanese ethnicity and 98 students Chinese ethnicity are chosen as sample. Phinney’s Ethic Identity Status interview are used to collect data while, Chi Quadrate are used to analyses the data. Result show that is a difference (Chi square X2 = 4.930; a = 0.01) between the ethnic identity status of Sundanese and Chinese Ethnic Students. The two group have a low percentage on Achieved Ethnic Identity. Sundanese students have higher percentage on Foreclosure Ethnic Identity (57.14 %) while students of Chinese ethnicity have a higher percentage on Moratorium (Ethnic Identity Search = 58.16%).Key words: Ethnic Identity Status; Identity Achieved, Moratorium, Foreclosure, and Diffusion.

Identity Processes in Adulthood: Diverging Domains

Patterns of identity formation were analyzed in a longitudinal framework, from ages 27 to 36 and then to 42 years of age. Information from all 3 ages was available for 197 participants (100 women, 97 men). A variation of Marcia's (1966) Identity Status Interview included 5 domains: religious beliefs, political identity, occupational career, intimate relationships, and lifestyle. Great variability in identity status assessments was found across the domains at each age level. The domains representing work and family (occupation, relationships, and lifestyle) were more salient for middle-aged adults than were ideological domains (religion and politics). Development along the hypothesized sequence (from diffusion toward achievement) was the most frequent trajectory for all domains, except for political identity, where regression was predominant. Most notably, at age 42, one third of the individuals who were foreclosed or achieved in 3 out of 5 identity domains were diffused in political identity, and one fourth were diffused in religious identity.

Identity Processes and Contents Through the Years of Late Adulthood

The years of late adulthood have attracted little direct research on themes of identity formation, revision, and maintenance. An overview of current identity research during late adulthood is presented. The extension of Marcia's identity status interview into the years of late adulthood is discussed, and modifications for its use are suggested. On the basis of qualitative analyses of 14 individual life histories, identity exploration and commitment variables of late adulthood are identified. Identity processes of reintegration, rebalancing, readjustment, refinement, and maintenance of continuity are detailed, and identity contents of life-style, family/social network commitments, and life meanings are identified as important domains of identity during late adulthood.

Global versus domain-specific statuses in identity research: a comparison of two self-report measures

The present study explored the potential usefulness of global identity statuses (ideological identity) as opposed to domain-specific statuses (occupation, religion, politics) using self-report measures rather than identity interviews. A total of 339 college students from two colleges in Belgium (Europe) completed both the Extended Objective Measure of Ego-Identity Status (EOM-EIS) and the Dellas Identity Status Inventory — Occupation, Religious Beliefs, Political Ideology (DISI-ORP). Four types of evidence argued in favour of domain-specific statuses (i.e. low convergence in identity status across domains, moderate convergence between global and domain-specific identity statuses, significant gender differences in domain-specific but not in global identity statuses, and significant associations between identity process and identity content in congruent but not in incongruent domains). In line with earlier research using identity status interviews, it was concluded that adolescent identity is not to be considered a unitary construct and the use of domain-specific identity statuses is recommended whenever possible. Theoretical implications of the findings are discussed in terms of adolescents' temporal spacing of identity concerns. Finally, the limitations of identity questionnaires (additive approach to global identity statuses) are pointed out. Identity interviews (indicative approach to global statuses) can yield a very different picture of identity.

Identity Development in Adulthood: A Longitudinal Study

Identity status interviews involving five domains of life (religious beliefs, political ideology, occupational career, intimate relationships, and lifestyle) were conducted with 249 women and men at ages 27 and 36. The results on overall identity and domain-specific identities confirmed our general hypothesis as to the strengthening of the commitment process: (1) stability was higher in the identity statuses involving commitment (identity achievement and foreclosure) than in the statuses not involving commitment (identity diffusion and moratorium); (2) an increase in the salience of identity domains could be attributed to an increase in the commitment process; (3) transitions into identity statuses involving commitment were more frequent than transitions into statuses not involving commitment; indicating that both identity achievement and foreclosure might be end points of identity development. It was concluded that the results pointed to identity development in adulthood rather than to a random fluctuation in identity statuses over time.