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The contribution of family structure and differentiation to identity development in females

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Abstract

We examined the relationship between Minuchin's structural family model, adolescent separation-individuation, and identity development. One hundred sixty-four female undergraduate students completed the Structural Family Interaction Scale Revised (SFIS-R), the Parental Relationship Inventory (PRI), and the Extended Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status (EOM-EIS) scale. Exploratory Factor Analysis of the SFIS-R and PRI scales indicated that two factors, Proximity-Differentiation and Generational Hierarchy-Differentiation, accounted for 90% of the variance. Canonical correlation analysis with the two factor scores and age included in the predictor variables, and the four measures of ego identity included in the dependent variables, yielded two significant roots. The results supported Minuchin's model.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Ohio State University, USA

    Linda M. Perosa (Assistant Professor of Counseling)

  2. The University of Akron, USA

    Sandra L. Perosa (Associate Professor of Counseling Psychology)

  3. The University of Maryland, USA

    Hak Ping Tam (Assistant Professor of Educational Measurement)

Authors
  1. Linda M. Perosa
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  2. Sandra L. Perosa
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  3. Hak Ping Tam
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Additional information

Received her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Major interests are family factors influencing adolescent development and family assessment.

Received her Ph.D. from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Major interests are family factors and the separation/individuation process.

Received Ph.D. from The Ohio State University. Major interests are statistical issues related to chi-square analyses.

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Perosa, L.M., Perosa, S.L. & Tam, H.P. The contribution of family structure and differentiation to identity development in females. J Youth Adolescence 25, 817–837 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01537456

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