Positive Association between Identity Status, Life Period, and Well-being among University Students

Identity is deemed essential in various aspects of life such as wellbeing. Erikson’s (1950; 1968) psychosocial theory of human development proposes that identity is formed as individuals move through adolescence toward maturity. Developing on this theory, Marcia (1996) identified four identity statuses: Diffusion, Foreclosure, Moratorium, and Achievement. It is hypothesised that these statuses develop from one to another in a predetermined trajectory. Several studies have refuted this theory, saying that identity remains relatively stable over time. To investigate how identity status is achieved, the present study utilised 14 scale items to explore identity development. 673 participants (519 female, 134 male, 18 non-binary) aged 17 to 54 years participated in the study. The present study classifies participants into five different life periods: Adolescence, Young-adulthood, Mid-adulthood, Late adulthood, and Others. Only Adolescence and Young-adulthood participants were included in the study (266 adolescents, 336 young adults). These life periods are based on participant ratings regarding the main psychological challenge they associated with each life period. The current study found a significant association between life periods and identity status: there were more young adults with achieved status than adolescents with expected-by-chance status (p < .001). The present study also examines the association between identity status and level of wellbeing. Participants' wellbeing was measured using a modified WEMWBS test (Tennant et al., 2007); such tests determine whether participants have high or low wellbeing. It was found that individuals with achieved identity status have higher levels of wellbeing than those expected by chance (p < .001). Thus, the present study shows a positive association between identity status, life period, and level of wellbeing among young adults.