Measuring Identity From an Eriksonian Perspective: Two Sides of the Same Coin?

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

In this article, we report the results of 3 studies evaluating the psychometric properties of scores generated using the Erikson Psychosocial Stage Inventory (EPSI; Rosenthal, Gurney, & Moore, 1981 Rosenthal, D. A., Gurney, R. M. and Moore, S. M. 1981. From trust to intimacy: A new inventory for examining Erikson's stages of psychosocial development. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 10: 525–537. [Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) with emerging adults. In Study 1, a hybrid bifactor solution, consisting of an overall identity factor as well as of “method effects” factors for identity synthesis and identity confusion, provided a better fit to the data than did either one or two-factor solutions. This bifactor solution was largely invariant across gender and across Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics. In Study 2, the overall identity, identity synthesis, and identity confusion scores were shown to possess convergent validity with another Eriksonian measure and with measures of identity status. In Study 3, the EPSI subscale scores were shown to possess construct validity vis-à-vis self-esteem, purpose in life, internal locus of control, ego strength, anxiety, and depression. We discuss implications for the measurement of identity.