Identity Statuses and Psychosocial Adjustment in Chinese Adolescents: A Latent Profile Analysis

Adolescence is a critical period for identity formation, a core developmental task that significantly influences psychosocial adjustment. Although person-centered studies based on Crocetti’s three-factor model have identified distinct identity statuses across several cultural contexts, comparable evidence from Chinese adolescents remains limited. The current study aims to explore whether the three-factor model of identity could be found in a Chinese adolescent sample and to examine the relationship between identity statuses and psychosocial adjustment. A sample of 4666 adolescents (Mage = 18.37; 49.9% females) completed the Utrecht-Management of Identity Commitments Scale. Latent profile analysis revealed five distinct identity statuses: Searching Moratorium, Foreclosure, Avoidant, Undifferentiated, and Diffusion. These statuses differed significantly in levels of anxiety, subjective well-being, and resilience. Overall, identity statuses were significantly associated with psychosocial adjustment. Notably, adolescents in the Foreclosure status exhibited the most favorable psychosocial outcomes; however, this pattern may reflect an adaptive response to the Chinese educational context rather than indicating a more mature stage of identity development.