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The Identity Issues Inventory: Identity Stage Resolution in the Prolonged Transition to Adulthood

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Abstract

The Identity Issues Inventory (I3) uses an Eriksonian framework to assess identity stage resolution among those experiencing a prolonged transition to adulthood in terms of the developmental tasks of self-identity formation (integration and differentiation) and societal-identity formation (work roles and worldview). For this first analysis of this new measure, data were collected from two samples: (1) 196 people between the ages of 18 and 48 and (2) 1,489 participants between the ages of 18 and 41. Overall, the I3 yields good factorial validity and reliability, and scores increase with age toward the “ceiling” of each task subscale, which represent anchors of a stable adult identity. Structural equation modeling assessed the relationships between these prominent identity issues and psychological health, revealing a positive relationship between the two constructs, providing evidence for predictive validity. An analysis of the second sample of 1,498 people confirmed these findings. The I3 promises to be a useful tool in future investigations of identity stage resolutions for those aged 18 and above experiencing a prolonged transition to adulthood.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Social Development Studies, Renison University College at the University of Waterloo, 240 Westmount Road North, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G4, Canada

    Sharon E. Roberts

  2. Department of Sociology, Social Science Centre, The University of Western Ontario, Room 5306, London, ON, N6A 5C2, Canada

    James E. Côté

Authors
  1. Sharon E. Roberts
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  2. James E. Côté
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sharon E. Roberts.

Appendix: Items for the Identity Issues Inventory (V1)

Appendix: Items for the Identity Issues Inventory (V1)

Integration

  1. 1.

    I feel like I have grown into a “whole” person.

  2. 2.

    Whatever happens, I still have a secure sense of who I am deep inside.

  3. 3.

    *I often feel confused about who I am deep inside.

  4. 4.

    *There is a struggle inside of me about who I really am.

  5. 5.

    My friends think I behave maturely.

  6. 6.

    My friends and family see me as a responsible person.

  7. 7.

    *I act like a different person, depending on the social situation.

  8. 8.

    *People who know me well often treat me like I’m immature.

  9. 9.

    I belong to a community of like-minded people with whom I will be happy to closely associate indefinitely.

  10. 10.

    I am recognized as an adult member of an established social group.

  11. 11.

    *I have been unable to find a meaningful group of like-minded people with which to affiliate on a more or less permanent basis.

  12. 12.

    *I have not been able to become a member of a “community” that will support who I am.

Differentiation

  1. 13.

    I feel like I have fully matured into being my own person.

  2. 14.

    I am in control of my own emotions.

  3. 15.

    *I have a difficult time thinking and acting decisively.

  4. 16.

    *Sometimes other people feel like I rely on them too much emotionally.

  5. 17.

    Most of the time, I dress and act in ways that reflect the kind of person that I really am.

  6. 18.

    My behaviour is generally consistent in all situations.

  7. 19.

    *I continually change the way I present myself to others to get the best out of the situation I’m in.

  8. 20.

    *If I think someone won’t approve of me, I pretend to have characteristics that I don’t really possess.

  9. 21.

    I have found my niche (unique place of belonging) in life.

  10. 22.

    Others would recognize me as a self-sufficient adult.

  11. 23.

    *I have not been able to achieve the type of self-sufficiency expected of an adult.

  12. 24.

    *I’m still not sure where I fit in adult society.

Productive/Work Roles

  1. 25.

    I have certain abilities that make it possible for me to be effective in the work I choose to undertake.

  2. 26.

    I think of myself as a competent person who makes productive contributions to society.

  3. 27.

    *I really don’t know if I have the right talents to maintain a good job.

  4. 28.

    *I do not feel like I have the necessary skills to get (or keep) the kind of job I would really like to have.

  5. 29.

    People in my life think that I have some useful talents or skills.

  6. 30.

    I have certain skills or talents that I use in my life.

  7. 31.

    People who know me recognize me in terms of certain talents and skills.

  8. 32.

    *When people think of who I am, they do not associate me with any specific talents or skills.

  9. 33.

    I have as much formal education as I ever wanted to get.

  10. 34.

    I have a job (or homemaking role) that I am happy keeping for the foreseeable future.

  11. 35.

    *I do not yet have the educational credentials necessary to get the kind of job I would ultimately like to have.

  12. 36.

    *I have yet to find a job (or homemaking role) that would gain me the respect I deserve.

Worldview

  1. 37.

    My beliefs and values relate to something that is much more important than my own individual needs.

  2. 38.

    My beliefs and values provide me with a firm sense of purpose in life.

  3. 39.

    *My beliefs and values are mostly geared to satisfying my own immediate needs.

  4. 40.

    *My sense of purpose in life mainly involves gratifying my own immediate, personal needs.

  5. 41.

    I often speak up about what I believe in.

  6. 42.

    People in my life know me as someone with firm beliefs and values.

  7. 43.

    I make sure that my day-to-day behaviour reflects my underlying beliefs and values.

  8. 44.

    *People in my life do not know me as someone with consistent beliefs or values.

  9. 45.

    I live my life in way that is consistent with a firm set of values and beliefs (religious, political, secular or otherwise) associated with some organized groups.

  10. 46.

    Other people know me as a member of a social group that espouses strong values and beliefs.

  11. 47.

    *The way that I live my life is not based on any widely accepted religious or political beliefs.

  12. 48.

    *Others do not generally think of me as someone who commits to any causes or organized beliefs systems.

Scales run from 1 to 6 (strongly disagree, disagree, somewhat disagree, somewhat agree, agree, strongly agree). Items with (*) need to be reverse coded. Items should be scrambled.

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Roberts, S.E., Côté, J.E. The Identity Issues Inventory: Identity Stage Resolution in the Prolonged Transition to Adulthood. J Adult Dev 21, 225–238 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10804-014-9194-x

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