Abstract
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.
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.
- Content Type Journal Article
- DOI 10.1007/s10964-010-9606-6
- Authors
- Seth J. Schwartz, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, 1425 N.W. 10th Avenue, Room 321, Miami, FL 33136, USA
- Wim Beyers, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Koen Luyckx, Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Bart Soenens, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Byron L. Zamboanga, Smith College, Northampton, MA USA
- Larry F. Forthun, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA
- Sam A. Hardy, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT USA
- Alexander T. Vazsonyi, Auburn University, Auburn, AL USA
- Lindsay S. Ham, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR USA
- Su Yeong Kim, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX USA
- Susan Krauss Whitbourne, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Amherst, MA USA
- Alan S. Waterman, The College of New Jersey, Ewing, NJ USA
- Journal Journal of Youth and Adolescence
- Online ISSN 1573-6601
- Print ISSN 0047-2891