TY - JOUR
T1 - Examining the light and dark sides of emerging Adults' identity
T2 - A study of identity status differences in positive and negative psychosocial functioning
AU - Schwartz, Seth J.
AU - Beyers, Wim
AU - Luyckx, Koen
AU - Soenens, Bart
AU - Zamboanga, Byron L.
AU - Forthun, Larry F.
AU - Hardy, Sam A.
AU - Vazsonyi, Alexander T.
AU - Ham, Lindsay S.
AU - Kim, Su Yeong
AU - Whitbourne, Susan Krauss
AU - Waterman, Alan S.
PY - 2011/7
Y1 - 2011/7
N2 - Identity is a critical developmental task during the transition to adulthood in Western societies. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate an empirically based, cluster-analytic identity status model, to examine whether all four of Marcia's identity statuses (diffusion, foreclosure, moratorium, and achievement) would emerge empirically, and to identify different patterns of identity formation among American college-attending emerging adults. An ethnically diverse sample of 9,034 emerging-adult students (73% female; mean age 19.73 years) from 30 U. S. universities completed measures of identity exploration (ruminative, in breadth, and in depth) and commitment (commitment making and identification with commitment), identity synthesis and confusion, positive and negative psychosocial functioning, and health-compromising behaviors. The identity status cluster solution that emerged provided an adequate fit to the data and included all four of Marcia's original identity statuses, along with Carefree Diffusion and Undifferentiated statuses. Results provided evidence for concurrent validity, construct validity, and practical applicability of these statuses. Implications for identity research are discussed.
AB - Identity is a critical developmental task during the transition to adulthood in Western societies. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate an empirically based, cluster-analytic identity status model, to examine whether all four of Marcia's identity statuses (diffusion, foreclosure, moratorium, and achievement) would emerge empirically, and to identify different patterns of identity formation among American college-attending emerging adults. An ethnically diverse sample of 9,034 emerging-adult students (73% female; mean age 19.73 years) from 30 U. S. universities completed measures of identity exploration (ruminative, in breadth, and in depth) and commitment (commitment making and identification with commitment), identity synthesis and confusion, positive and negative psychosocial functioning, and health-compromising behaviors. The identity status cluster solution that emerged provided an adequate fit to the data and included all four of Marcia's original identity statuses, along with Carefree Diffusion and Undifferentiated statuses. Results provided evidence for concurrent validity, construct validity, and practical applicability of these statuses. Implications for identity research are discussed.
KW - Cluster analysis
KW - Depression
KW - Emerging adulthood
KW - Health-compromising behavior
KW - Identity
KW - Psychosocial functioning
KW - Well-being
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=79958272311&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10964-010-9606-6
DO - 10.1007/s10964-010-9606-6
M3 - Article
C2 - 21088875
AN - SCOPUS:79958272311
SN - 0047-2891
VL - 40
SP - 839
EP - 859
JO - Journal of Youth and Adolescence
JF - Journal of Youth and Adolescence
IS - 7
ER -