Linking Identity Status to Strength of Sense of Self: Theory and Validation

Cultural Identity Conflict and Psychological Well-Being in Bicultural Young Adults: Do Self-Concept Clarity and Self-Esteem Matter?

ABSTRACT

The present study examined the relationship between cultural identity conflict and psychological well-being, as well as the role of self-concept clarity and self-esteem in mediating this linkage. Elevated cultural identity conflict was hypothesized to be associated with lower psychological well-being via both (lower) self-concept clarity and (lower) self-esteem, with self-concept clarity preceding self-esteem. In a cross-sectional design, 473 bicultural young adults (age range, 18-35) completed an online questionnaire assessing cultural identity conflict, self-concept clarity, self-esteem, emotional distress, psychopathological symptoms, and satisfaction with life. Correlation analyses revealed that elevated cultural identity conflict was positively associated with emotional distress and psychopathological symptoms, and negatively associated with satisfaction with life. Mediation analyses indicated that these associations were mediated by lower self-concept clarity and lower self-esteem. The results support the importance of interventions that foster the development of skills in bicultural young adults to obtain more self-concept clarity and promote self-esteem and psychological well-being.

Changes of ego identity and psychosocial maturity in nursing students: A longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

Nursing students who have achieved ego identity are able to develop their careers to become professional nurses. To care for patients in a clinical context, nursing students need to be psychologically and socially mature. Attainment of ego identity and maturity is a key developmental task during students' time at university as they prepare to become professional nurses.

OBJECTIVES

This study was conducted to examine changes of ego identity and psychosocial maturity in nursing students.

DESIGN AND SETTING

A longitudinal study design was employed between June 2016 and June 2019 at a university in a metropolis in South Korea.

PARTICIPANTS

The participants were 102 nursing students who responded to surveys on at least two occasions. Seventy-six nursing students completed questionnaires on four occasions (in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019).

METHODS

Data were collected through self-report questionnaires composed of items assessing ego identity, psychosocial maturity, and demographic characteristics. Participants returned questionnaires every June from 2016 to 2019. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the kappa statistic, repeated-measures analysis of variance, and one-way analysis of variance.

RESULTS

In terms of ego identity status, 17.1% of nursing students progressed to a more advanced status, 5.3% of them regressed to a less developed status, 57.9% of students had a fluctuating status, and 19.7% of them had a status that remained stable. Overall, psychosocial maturity in nursing students increased over time. Psychosocial maturity was higher among students in the achievement and moratorium statuses than among those in other statuses.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicate that ego identity status fluctuated during students' time at nursing school, while psychosocial maturity simultaneously improved. Nursing students who explored their options also became psychologically and socially mature.

Enhancing the sense of self of peer supporters using life design-related counselling

This article explores the possible effects of group-based life design-related counselling on the sense of self of female adolescent peer supporters. Convenience and purposive sampling were used to select 24 participants at a private school (mean age = 16.5 years; standard deviation = 6.4 months). A parallel interactive mixed-method design, embedded in an intervention framework, was used to gather data. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare pre- and post-test scores obtained on the Career Adapt-Abilities Scale and the Resiliency Scales for Children and Adolescents. Strong evidence of change was found on the Control scale (Career Adapt-Abilities Scale) and on the scales of Mastery, Self-efficacy, and Comfort (Resiliency Scales for Children and Adolescents). The results suggest that group-based intervention programmes, when based on self-construction and life design principles, could serve as a viable intervention process for adolescent girls during their discovery of a unique sense of self. Future research should focus on the question of sustainability of the newly gained sense of self due to participation in the life design-related programme.

Vocational Identity and Ego Identity Status in Korean Nursing Students

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between vocational identity and ego identity status among Korean nursing students.

METHODS

The participants were 311 nursing students in South Korea who were attending either a 4-year bachelor's program or a 3-year diploma program. Data were collected using self-report questionnaires that addressed vocational identity, ego identity status, and demographic information. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance, t test, and Chi-square test.

RESULTS

In terms of ego identity status, 31.5% of nursing students were classified as being in diffusion status, followed by 28.3% in low profile moratorium status, 14.8% in moratorium status, 14.1% in foreclosure status, and 11.3% in achievement status. Vocational identity differed according to ego identity status; vocational identity among students who were in achievement status was higher than for those in all other statuses. Vocational identity also differed according to grade level and monthly family income. Ego identity status was related to the type of program enrolled in, grade level, and monthly family income.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings show that nursing students in identity achievement status have secure and clear vocational identities. Further longitudinal and qualitative studies are needed to find out if identity formation among nursing students changes with age.