Identity Structure and Life Satisfaction in Later Life

Idiographic information on time spent enacting one's multiple identities was used to predict life satisfaction in 45 older adults (M = 72.69 years old). Each participant generated a list of his or her identities and indicated the relative time spent in each identity. Two indexes were computed: time spent enacting identities differing in (a) the participant's perception of importance and (b) the level in the participant's Rosenberg and Gara (1985) hierarchical identity structure. Results indicated that only the index based on the hierarchical identity structure significantly predicted life satisfaction, and it did so even after controlling for demographics and social, financial, and health factors, rpart = -.38, t(38) = 3.36, p < .01. Our findings suggest that idiographic factors associated with the Rosenberg and Gara concept of identity elaboration are important for understanding self-concept and its relation to life satisfaction in later life.