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This is to certify that the

dissertation entitled
The Shift in Identity Status from Diffusion

to Moratorium in Adolescent Females: A
Pilot Study

presented by

Barbara Gortych

has been accepted towards fulfillment
of the requirements for

Ph.D. degree in Counseling Psychology

 

 

    

Major professor

Date 5-11-83

 

MSU is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Institution 0- l2771

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TO AVOID FINES return on or before date due.

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MSU Is An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Institution
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THE SHIFT IN IDENTITY STATUS
FROM DIFFUSION TO MORATORIUM
IN ADOLESCENT FEMALES}

A PILOT STUDY
BY
Barbara Gortych

A DISSERTATION
Submitted to
Michigan State University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology
and Special Education

1983

ABSTRACT

The Shift in Identity Status
from Diffusion to Moratorium
in Adolescent Females:

A Pilot Study

BY
Barbara Gortych

The purpose of the research was a) to explore in a
natural setting the level of ego identity status achieved by
female members of a high school population and b) to examine
the relationship of an individual's ego strength to the
achieved identity status. Specifically, the identity status
and ego strength of female students in the ninth and twelfth
grade were measured and analyzed.

The research was based on the developmental theories of
Erik Erikson. The sample of the research was comprised of
twenty-seven ninth grade and twenty-five twelfth grade
female high school students. All subjects were volunteers.
Each subject was asked to complete Marcia's Identity Status
Interview and the ego strength scale of the MMPI, and each
was paid five dollars.

Concerning the shift from diffusion to moratorium, the
analysis of the first and second hypotheses by means of chi
square and Fisher Exact Probability provided the fellowing

information:

1) There was a significantly higher proportion of
ninth grade females in moratorium than in
diffusion.

2) There was a significantly higher proportion of
twelfth grade females in moratorium than in
diffusion.

Thus, the expected clear-cut shift from diffusion in ninth
grade to moratorium in twelfth grade could not be validated.

The analysis of the third and fourth hypotheses through

the use of t-tests yielded the following information:

1) On the ego strength measure, the twelfth grade
females received significantly higher scores than
the ninth grade females.

2) On the ego strength measure, the ninth grade
female moratorium group scored significantly
higher than the ninth grade female diffusion
group.

Thus, as predicted, there was a higher degree of ego
strength manifested among twelfth graders than among ninth

graders.

To Michael
who nudged, supported, babysat, read, typed, cooked,
listened, picked up Chinese food, got sick and tired of
the whole thing, never really complained, and still

loved.

and

To my parents

who made sure that doors opened for me which had been

closed to them.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I wish to express my thanks to Dr. William Farquhar,
dissertation chairman, for his long-distance guidance
throughout the evolution of this dissertation. I also wish
to thank Dr. Albert Aniskiwicz, Dr. Sam Plyler and Dr. Max
Raines for their support and suggestions as members of the
committee.

At Belmont High School, I owe a special thanks to the
Principal, Foster Wright, to Elizabeth Burk, Chairperson of
the English Department, and to all of the faculty in that
department. Mr. Wright gave this project his wholehearted
support, Ms. Burk facilitated my entrance into the Freshman
and Senior English classes in the school, and the faculty
were cooperatiave, wanm and interested. It was a pleasure
to work with all of them.

I also owe a tremendous debt to those who worked in the
trenches and on the front lines -- the interviewers and
raters. Therefore, a heartfelt thank you must be expressed
to Sharon Traish, BA, and Kathy Green, BA, who interviewed
in an unheated building, rain or shine, and endured the
boredom and disappointment of innumberable no-shows. A
similar special thanks goes to Kathleen Dolan, MA, Anne
Scher, MA, and Laura Roger, M.Ed., who took on the
unenviable task of reading each ambiguous interview and

assigning one unambiguous rating to it.

Thanks go also to the Clinical-Developmental Institute
in Belmont which graciously afforded me several offices in
which to conduct the interviews.

I would also like to express a special appreciation to
Brina Caplan, Ph.D. who lent enormous editorial guidance to
the final drafts of the paper. Her encouragement and clear
guidelines were invaluable.

Lastly, I thank the young women at Belmont High School
who participated in the research. They came in all shapes,
sizes and moods -- shy freshmen and sophisticated seniors.

They were all different and, therefore, essential.

LIST OF
LIST OF
CHAPTER

I

II

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLES . . . .
APPENDICES . . . .
INTRODUCTION . . . .

The Problem and The Need

Purpose . . . .
Hypotheses . . . .
Overview . . . .

REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Part I The Historical Context of

Erikson's Theory

The Freuds and Identification . . . .

Erikson and Identity .

The Ego and Identity Formation . . .

Part II Research Related to the
Operationalization of Erikson's
Constructs of Identity Formation

Varied Approaches to Operationalization
Marcia's Approach to Operatioalization
Evaluation of Marcia's Identity Status

Inteview

Development of the ES scale of
Validation of the ES scale

Summary and Conclusions

III DESIGN OF THE STUDY .

Sample . . . .
Measures . . . .
Procedures .

Rater Reliability for the

Status Interview . .
Design and Analysis .
Hypotheses . . . .
Summary . . . .

Identity

the MMPI
at the MMPI

Page

iii

iv

I-I

(3qu

11

12
12
16

18

18
23

28
31
32

35
37

37
39
43

44
45
48
52

IV RESEARCH RESULTS . . . . . . . . . . 53

The First and Second Hypotheses . . . . . 53
The Third, Fourth and Fifth Hypotheses . . . 58
The Exploratory Hypotheses . . . . . . . 62
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

V SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS . . . . . . . . 65
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Conclusions and Discussion . . . . . . . 71
Implications for Future Research . . . . . 77

APPENDICES . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

ii

4.2

4.3

LIST OF TABLES

Criteria for Differentiation of Marcia's
Identity Status . . . . . . . . .

Distribution of Identity Statuses Among
Ninth and Twelfth Grade Female Subjects .

Chi-square Distribution of Moraotrium and
Diffusion Among Ninth and Twelfth Grade
Female Subjects . . . . . . . . .

Descriptive Statistics of the Ego Strength
Measure for Ninth and Twelfth Grade Female
SUbjects O I O O O C O O O 0

Results of t-test on the Third, Fourth and
Fifth Hypotheses . . . . . . . . .

iii

PAGE

54

57

59

60

APPENDIX

A.

B.

C.

D.

LIST OF APPENDICES

PAGE
Identity Status Interview Form and
Scoring Manual . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Items Comprising the Ego Strength Scale of
the MMPI I O O I O O O O O O O O 108

Letter to Students With Attached Consent Form . 113

Five Identity Status Interview Protocols . . . 116

iv

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Identity - what a person perceives himself to be - has
been a frequent point of fascination for ‘mankind. The
studies of identity appear in various guises: in litera-
ture, philosophy, religion, anthropology, and psychology.
The boundaries of the problem range from the practical daily
necessities of self-orientation to the larger existential
concerns of man's relationship to the cosmos. Whether a man
be a primitive food gatherer, a migrating herder of animals,
a cultivator of domesticated crops, or a so-called
”civilized" master of cities, his first question on meeting
another is WHO ARE YOU? It would seem impossible that a
man, in any place in the world, could escape asking the same
question of himself. It is the process by which a person
formulates the answer to the question WHO AM I? which is the

focus of this study.

The Problem and the Need

 

With the publication of Identity, Youth and Crisis in

 

1968 Erik Erikson set forth an innovative theory of identity
formation. He proposed that adolescence was a stage of
development in which the formation of identity was the focal
issue. He argued that identity formation began. with a
diffuse intrapsychic state in which the individual seemed

largely disinterested in self-reflection and future

direction. As adolescence progressed, however, Erikson
proposed that individuals became reflective and concerned
with self issues. This new focus then precipitated the
development of an internal crisis characterized by confusion
and turmoil. Finally, he suggested that the crisis was
resolved as the individual made commitments to an internal
cohesive system of values, morals, and life goals. Erikson
also argued that the major organizing agent in the develop-
ment of identity was the ego. He reasoned that it was the
ego which supplied the strength to delay gratification and
to tolerate ambiguity and confusion as the developmental
process progressed.

The two major problems for study in this research were
derived from Erikson's theory of identity formation as
stated above. The first problem was to verify the develop-
mental shifts described by Erikson in the process of
identity formation in early adolescents. The second aim of
the research was to begin to explore the role of ego in the
process of identity formation.

Erikson's formulation concerning identity, although
based on Freudian underpinnings, was innovative and provoca-
tive. It stimulated a sizeable amount of empirical study.
Researchers sought to operationalize the theory along
different axes with varying success. Nonetheless, with few
exceptions, researchers chose to verify the theory among
male college-age populations, that is, among individuals in

late adolescence. This choice of populations clearly was

influenced by the easy accessibility of college populations
to research endeavors and the difficulty in securing permis—
sion and cooperation for research among high school
students. However, the choice of only late adolescent
populations created a serious problem in verifying the
thrust and extent of Erikson's theory. Certainly late
adolescents were found to be developing identities, experi-
encing crises and making commitments. Nevertheless, the
character of the process in early adolescence was left, for
the most part, undescribed.

Consequently, the focus of this research was the
validation of Erikson's theory' of identity formation in
early adolescence. The research population was comprised of
ninth and twelfth grade high school students. Specifically
these students were females, chosen again because of the
paucity of research on their sex.

The problem of validating Erikson's view of identity
formation among early adolescence was approached from two
perspectives:

1) Can it be established that early adolescent
females are engaged. in the stages of identity
formation predicted by Erikson's theory?

2) Will a measure of gross ego strength shed any
light on the role of the ego in the process of

identity formation?

Different measures were employed to pursue each of these
perspectives on identity formation.

In order to establish the stage of development in which
each subject could be categorized, a measure had to be
employed which operationalized the chief concepts in
Erikson's theory. James Marcia's Ego Identity Status
Interview was such an instrument. Developed in 1964, it
defined the stage along two axes: crisis and commitment.
The instrument had been used frequently in research and had
been adequately validated. It consisted of a semi-
structured interview and a detailed scoring manual for
subjective judges. Upon scoring, each subject could. be
identified as one of four identity status: diffusion,
moratorium, foreclosure and achievement. Those individuals
designated as diffuse were characterized by the absence of
both crisis and commitment. In contrast, those classified
as moratorium were experiencing an acute or chronic crisis
and were struggling to make decisions about commitments.
Individuals in the foreclosure status had experienced no
crisis and yet appeared to be very committed. Closer
scrutiny, however, revealed them to be committed often to
the values and goals of significant others (frequently
parents) but with little internalization of a cohesive
system of values and goals of their choosing. Finally those
in the achievement status were characterized by both the
experience of crisis and its resolution through commitment.

Each of these statuses was mutually exclusive.

TABLE 1.1

Criteria for Differentiation of

Marcia's Identity Statuses

 

 

Identity Crisis Commitment

Status

Diffusion Individual has Individual has made
experienced either no no commitments.
crisis or has passed
through a crisis.

Moratorium Individual is experi- Individual is
encing crisis in struggling to make
acute or chronic decisions about
form. commitments.

Individual appears

Foreclosure Individual has not committed. However,
experienced crisis or choices frequently
even serious period coincide with those
of questioning. of parents.

Achievement Individual has Individual has made

experienced crisis

commitments.

Linking then these stages to Erikson's theory, normal
development would proceed from diffusion in early adoles-
cence to moratorium and then to identity achievement in
later adolescence. However, alternate paths of less than
optimal development seem to exist. For example, some
individuals appear to remain in a diffuse state for a
lifetime. Others seem to move from diffusion to foreclosure
and stop there. Finally, still others seem to move from
diffusion to moratorium and then back to diffusion.

The second perspective concerning ego strength was
pursued through the use of the ego strength scale of the
MMPI (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory). Similar
to Marcia's instrument, this scale is a valid scale, and one
well-accepted for use in the research. However, unlike
Marcia's interview, the Ego Strength Scale is a paper and
pencil test in which the individual is required to answer
true or false to a variety of statements. The scale is
objectively scored and yields a numerical score which can
then be interpreted as high or low ego strength. Clearly it
is a gross measure. of ego strength. It allows only a
determination of relative strength. It does not detail the

composition of the ego and its individual characteristics.

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to validate Erikson's
theory of identity formation in an early adolescent popu-

lation. This was achieved by the examination of two major

 

problem areas. The first involved the identification of the
ego identity statuses predicted by Erikson for early adoles-
cents in a female high school population. Specifically, the
goal was to verify cross-sectionally the shift from dif-
fusion in ninth grade females to moratorium in twelfth grade
females. The second problem area involved the exploration
of the role of ego strength in the process of identity
formation among the same early adolescent female population.
Specifically the goal here was to verify that the diffusion
status among ninth grade females would be a normal stage of
develoPment and thus not correlated to ego strength. In
contrast, among twelfth grade females, it was expected that
diffusion would be correlated with low ego strength and

moratorium with high ego strength.

Hypotheses

The hypotheses for the study were derived from the
theoretical constructs put forth by Erikson and the empiri-
cal findings of James Marcia. They address in specific
terms the details of the two main problem areas outlined
above: (1) identification of the shift in identity status
in early adolescence and (2) exploration of the role of ego
strength. Together the hypotheses sought to meet the
purpose of the study: validation of Erikson's theory of
identity formation among early adolescents. The hypotheses

may be stated as follows:

1)

2)

3)

4)

5)

6)

Overview

There will be a high proportion of ninth grade

subjects in the diffusion status than in the

 

moratorium status.

 

There will be a higher proportion of twelfth grade

subjects in the moratorium status than diffusion

 

 

status.

Higher ego strength will not be correlated with
the diffusion or the moratorium status of ninth
grade subjects.

High ego strength will be significantly correlated

with the moratorium status of twelfth grade

 

subjects.
The proportion of subjects in ninth and twelfth

grade in achievement status will range from O -

 

5%.
The proportion of subjects in the foreclosure
status will remain constant when comparing ninth

to twelfth grade.

In the chapters which follow, the theoretical, empiri-

cal and historical context of the study will be examined.

Further,

the measures and procedures will be set forth.

Lastly, the results will be presented along with conclusions

derived from the analysis of the data.

Specifically, Chapter II will contain a historical and

empirical revieW' of the literature relevant. to identity

formation. In it, the historical evolution of the term
”identity" will be traced. This discussion will serve to
distinguish the difference between Freud's use of the term
identification and Erikson's use of the term identity.
Further, the contributions of ego psychology to the theories
of identity formation will also be considered. From the
empirical perspective, the various approaches to the task of
operationalizing Erikson's theory will be discussed.
Special attention will be paid to the development of the two
instruments chosen for use in the current study: the
Identity Status Interview and the ego strength scale of the
MMPI.

In Chapter III, the main design of the study will be
presented. Specifically, there will be a description of the
sample population and of the instruments administered. In
addition, the procedures followed in acquiring the volunteer
population, in administering the measures, and in scoring
and analyzing the data will be set forth.

In Chapter IV the findings of the study will be pre-
sented. The hypotheses will be restated and the results of
the statistical analysis of the data in regard to the
hypotheses will be reported.

Finally, in Chapter V, a synthesis of the study will be
set forth. The discussion will proceed from a consideration
of the relationship of the historical, theoretical and
empirical perspectives to the procedures used in testing the

hypotheses. The results of the study will then be viewed

 

10

within this context. In this way, the possible reasons for
successful or unsuccessful predictions among hypotheses will
be considered. Finally, conclusions relating to the theo-
retical constructs and future direction of research will be

drawn.

11

CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

The literature concerning' identity formation is
considerable in size and diversity. However, it may be
effectively organized under two perspectives: (1) the
historical and theoretical contexts of the theory and (2)
empirical attempts to operationalize the theory. The review
which follows uses these two perspectives as major organiz-
ing principles.

Specifically, in the first section, the historical
context of Erikson's theory of identity formation will be
discussed. The Freudian precursors to Erikson's thinking
will be presented and distinguished from the terms employed
in this research. Further, the specifics of Erikson's
theory will be set forth. Finally, the most recent contri-
butions by ego psychology to current thinking about identity
formation will be discussed.

In the second section, the empirical procedures and
data which were generated by the historical and theoretical
perspectives will be reviewed. Of major importance will be
two main areas of research: (1) attempts to operationalize
Erikson's constructs of identity formation and (2) attempts
to operationalize the role of ego strength in the process of
identity formation. In both cases, a review of empirical
data will be presented. The purpose of the review then is

to present first the scientific thought and then the

12

empirical action which followed. In the process of
reviewing this area , the theoretical underpinnings of the
hypotheses should be clarified and the rationale for

selection of research measures established.

Part I. The Historical Context

of Erikson's Theory

Erikson's theory developed within a historical context.
The roots of his ideas concerning identity formation are
psychoanalytic. Erikson expanded basic Freudian concepts as
he began to articulate his view of adolescent development.
He also focused on the role of the ego. This focus has been

much enriched by writing and research in ego psychology.

The Freuds and Identification

As with many things psychological, it was with Sigmund
Freud that the evolution of the term identity comenced.
His use began with the term identification, a term distinct
from "identity" but intimately related to it. Sigmund
Freud's use of the term identification, often called primary
identification, referred to the process whereby a person
made his/her first emotional ties to another human being via
an imitative process that seemed much less an imitation and
much more an oral incorporation. He stated

Identification is known to psycho-analysis as the

earliest expression of an emotional tie with

another person. . . . We can only see that identi-
fication endeavors to mould a person's own ego

13

after the fashion of the one that has been taken
as a model. (Freud, S., 1955, pp. 105-106)

Fenichel (1945) further elucidated the distinction made

between primary and secondary identification:
The primitive reactions of imitating what is
perceived and the oral introjection of what is
perceived belong close together. ”Identification”
in normal psychology and in psychotherapy give the
impression, as Freud always emphasized, of being a
regression, a "secondary“ identification, repeat-
ing an archaic "primary one.” The concept of
primary identification denotes that actually
”putting into the mouth” and "imitation for
perception's sake" are one in the same and

represent the very first relation to objects.
(p. 37)

Thus the basis for later identifications was thought to
be the primary one by the infant. This primary identifica-
tion molded the ego and in doing so provided the individual
with a processual model for the later "taking in" of or
”identification with” parts of another which could even-
tually become intrinsic parts of the self.

Next, in the evolution came Anna Freud's description of
the defense mechanisms, in particular her view of identi-
fication with the aggressor. This mechanism was important
in the evolution of identity because it employed the term
identification in a new way. She described an incorporative
modeling process. However, it was distinctly defined one
which should not be confused with the later view of
adolescent identity crises conceptualized by Erikson. Anna
Freud (1966) stated

In 'identification with the aggressor' we recog-

nized a by no means uncommon stage in the normal

development of the superego. . . When a child
constantly repeats this process of internalization

14

and introjection the qualities of those responsi-

ble for his up bringing. . . he is all the time

providing material from which the superego may

take shape. But at the point children are not
quite whole-hearted in acknowledging that institu-
tion. The internalized criticism is not yet

immediately transformed into self-criticism. . . .

it is dissociated from the child's own repre-

hensible activity and turned back on the outside

world. (p. 116)

Thus, "identification with the aggressor" was defined as a
defense mechanism which developed at a crucial stage of
superego development. As such, it incorporated both identi-
fication and. projection to Ideal. with. perceived external
threats.

More closely related to Erikson's theory of identity
formation was the focus in psychoanalytic theory upon the
task of sexual identification as part of the resolution of
the Oedipus complex. Here, it was reasoned, the tasks
diverged dramatically for the sexes. The male child
completed his separation from his female mother and moved
towards identification with his male father. The female
child, in a more complicated process, needed to separate
from her female mother via a strong pull toward the male

father and then returned to mother as the model for her

female identification.

Erikson and Identity

How do these identifications lead to the turmoil of
adolescence and its resolution in the form of a firm
identity and sense of adult conunitment? Do all of these

identifications of childhood simply ”add up” to adult

15

identity? It was in answering this question and in
synthesizing and reformulating psychoanalytic thought that
Erikson gained ascendancy. No, he stated -- "none of the
identifications of childhood. . . .could, if merely added
up, result in a functioning personality” (Erikson, 1959, p.
158). Instead, he postulated a second ”latency” during the
adolescence termed a "psychosocial moratorium” (Erikson,
1959, p. 56).

The comparison between latency and adolescency’ was
significant. Latency offered the child a period of time in
whidh to consolidate his developmental gains following the
resolution of the Oedipal conflict. Further, it offered him
an opportunity to experience a "period of delay" (Erikson,
1959, p. 156) in which to learn the culture. In this period
a child could learn the roles, hierarchies, and rules which
would become the backdrop for adult life. In comparison,
Erikson's psychosocial moratorium referred to the period of
prolonged adolescence wherein the ostensibly sexually mature
individual was "more or less retarded in his psychosexual
capacity for intimacy and in the psychosocial readiness for
parenthood.” (Erikson, 1959, p. 156) During this period,
the individual experienced confusion and used the period for
experimentation in an attempt to find a role and place in
society which was suited to him/her.

Thus, Erikson argued that it was not simply the
arithmetical sum of previous identifications which yielded

an adult identity. He stated that identity formation was

16

the result of a period in which these identifications, and
the knowledge gained in latency, were experimented with and
reformulated to produce a working sense of self and commit-

ment to personal ideals and life goals.

The Ego and Identity Formation

 

In Erikson's theory, the aspect of psychological life
which was most intensely involved in the psychosocial
moratorium and its reorganizing processes was the ego. The
concept of ego long ago left its place of equality in the
tripartite structural model of Freud's ego-id-superego.
Through the further development of psychoanalytic theory in
the form of ego psychology and object relations theory, the
concept of ego took on an ascendancy as the central
organizer of the personality. It. was viewed as ‘multi-
functional. It assisted the individual in distinguishing
reality from fantasy, establishing and maintaining psycho-
logical and physical borders, employing and organizing
defenses, and integrating inner psychological experience and
outer' physical reality. Foremostly, the ego ‘worked to
maintain the organism's functional integrity.

The role of ego in the process of identity formation
was central. In the turmoil of the self-reorganization of
identity formation, the question of the role of the ego
arose. Theoretically a strong ego should have been the
gyroscope which worked independently of the identity forma-

tion crisis to coordinate the strengths and coping

17

mechanisms of the individual toward an equilibration, in the
Piagetian sense, that. is, a. new, stable and sufficient
organization.

Erikson himself pointed to a three stage process by
which the ego was even more able to make increasingly
sophisticated use of the models available. Paralleling
Freud's primary identification, Erikson identified intro-
jection as the first step. In this process, the positive
mutuality between mother and infant was incorporated in the
child to provide a safe base from which the child could move
out toward other human beings. As the child moved outward
from the symbiotic unit, childhood identifications came to
the forefront of development. These early identifications
paralleled Freud's secondary identifications and further
enlarged the base established earlier for trusting and
satisfactory interactions with other individuals. Thus, the
individual could begin to take into his intrapsychic system
the hierarchy and diversity of roles available to him in the
culture. However, Erikson (1959) argued that "identity
formation. . . .begins when the usefulness of identification
ends" (p. 159). Thus, at adolescence, he postulated that a
society afforded the child a a particular recognition as a
young individual who was an entity in his/her own right, no
longer to simply be molded or taught but a person to be
reckoned with. The child then assumed the position of
adolescent with all the culturally circumscribed tolerance

of his experimentation during this moratorium. The

18

tolerance was based on the firm hope that the period would
yield a stable identity formation and a contributing and

generative adult to carry on the goals of the culture.

Part II. Research Related to the Operationalization

of Erikson's Constructs of Identity Formation

Erikson's scheme of development was tantalizing. It
generated high expectations that it might untangle some of
the complexities of human growth. His approach set many
researchers off in search of measures by which to opera-
tionalize his ideas. Erikson (1959) had formulated. ego
identity in the following terms:

Ego identity then, in its subjective aspect, is

the awareness of the fact that there is a self-

sameness and continuity to the ego's synthesizing

methods, the style of one's individualitl, and
that this style coincides with the sameness and

continuity of one's meaning for significant others
in the immediate community. (p. 50)

 

Further, identity was achieved through crisis. For Erikson
(1959) crisis did not connote "impending catastrophe. . . ."
but indicated a "necessary turning point, a crucial moment,
when development must move one way or another, marshalling
resources of growth, recovery, and further differentiation”
(p. 16). The task, then, of empirical researchers was to
Oreformulate these theoretical positions into research

constructs and then to establish their validity.

19

Varied Approaches to Operationalization

 

An article by Bronson in 1959 was the first attempt to
operationalize Erikson's theory of identity fermation. He
focused on the measurement of identity diffusion, defining
the concept as comprised of four characteristics: (1)
self-image less rooted in earlier identifications, (2)
feelings about self more variable over short periods of
time, (3) self less firmly conceived of in terms of dominant
traits, and (4) increased anxiety. Using male and female
college students he successfully predicted that through the
use of four measures, two based on rated interviews and two
based on semantic differential techniques, these four
characteristics would be significantly correlated with each
other.

Gruen (1960), in a study' published the next. year,
focused on another aspect of Erikson's concept of identity.
He reasoned that subjects with sound ego identity would
demonstrate little discrepancy between real and ideal self.
To test this notion, he used a real-ideal Q-sort discrepancy
correlation score developed by Butler and Haigh (1954). A
week. after' completing’ the Q-sort, college students ‘were
asked to fill out a questionnaire which was to measure ego
identity and to read a fake personality sketch based on the
previous week's test. The subjects were then required to
rate the accuracy of the original Q-sort as a measure of
their personality. The results were disappointing.

Although a significantly higher number of subjects with low

20

ego identity accepted the fake personality sketches than
those subjects with high ego identity, the questionnaire,
itself, did not discriminate between the two.

Block (1961) focused on low' role 'variability as a
definition of ego identity. He operationalized the defini-
tion by having subjects rank twenty adjectives eight times,
each in relation to behavior with eight significant others.
The resultant scores were then correlated with the Cali-
fornia Personality Inventory measure of susceptibility to
anxiety. Block concluded that extreme variability (Block's
definition of a low ego identity) correlated with poor
adjustment and susceptibility to anxiety. .

Dignan (1963) was the first researcher to study women
exclusively. Her purpose was to measure the correlation of
anxiety to ego identity. In the study an adjective check
list and ego identity scale ‘were used. These measures
successfully correlated low ego identity with high anxiety.2

In 1974 Start and Traxler produced a study in which the
”empirical validation of Erikson's theory of identity crisis
in late adolescence" (p. 25) was sought. They used Dignan's
instrument on a sample of over five hundred male and female
college students. Two hypotheses were supported: (1) 17 -
20 year old subjects reported more diffusion than 21 - 24
year olds and (2) females reported significantly less
diffusion than males in each group. The data further
indicated that the identity formation process crystallizes

in late adolescence as theorized by Erikson. An inverse

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21

correlation between ego identity and anxiety provided data
for additional construct validity for the instrument.

Howard and Kubis (1964) also focused on women as
subjects, again college students. Their' purpose *was to
relate ego identity to three aspects of personal adjustment:
manifest anxiety, manifest hostility, and mother-daughter
problems. They hypothesized a negative correlation to all
three. Five instruments were used: an Ego Identity Scale,
a Manifest Anxiety Scale, a Manifest Hostility scale, a
Mother-Daughter Problem Checklist and a Rating Scale for
Identity Traits. The hypotheses were supported by the
research in that the inverse relationship was established.
However, significant results were inconsistent for freshmen
and sophomores and for the two measures of ego identity.

In his 1964 study, Heilbrun used Block's (1961) ranking
procedure. Using male and female college students, he
sought to establish a relationship between ego identity,
defined as low role variability, and conformity to cultural
stereotypes of masculinity or feminity. The hypothesis
regarding males was confirmed. However, the results con-
cerning females provide a different picture. It was found
that girls with either high or low feminity scores had
higher role consistency than girls ranked moderately femi-
nine. Bauer (1972), also noted that further research by
Heilbrun indicated a significant correlation between the

role consistency scale and test taking defensiveness.

22

In 1964, Rasmussen published a study in which he
examined the construct validity of ego identity and the
relationship of ego identity to psychosocial effectiveness.
The data from his questionnaire provided evidence for
construct validity in terms of the highly significant
differences in scores. The instrument was innovative in
that it was comprised of items designed to tap the subject's
experience of the previous five stages of Erikson's theory.

Bach and Verduf (1975) used Rasmussen's measure, the
Ego Identity Scale (EIS), and Constantinople's Inventory of
Psychosocial Development (IPD) to study male and female high
school adolescents. Their purpose was to examine the
relationship between the two measures and to explore
identity formation in the rarely sampled population (1975,
p. 270). They concluded that there existed significant
positive relationships between the instruments, but further
noted that because Rasmussen's measure yielded a single
identity score it seemed vulnerable to misclassification of
subjects.

In 1972 Bauer and Snyder also employed Rasmussen's Ego
Identity Scale in a study of motivation and ego identity.
The results supported Erikson's theory of development in
that individuals with high motivation, in affiliation and
achievement, show ”more satisfactory ego identity" (p. 951)
than subjects with lower scores. Specifically, the Bauer
and Snyder data lent support to Erikson's formulation that

successful resolution of the previous stage, in this case,

23

identity vs. diffusion, leads to better management of the

current one .

Marcia's Approach to Operationalization

 

In 1964 Marcia sought to investigate Erikson's concept
of identity by focusing on two variables: crisis and
commitment. He developed a semi-structural interview to
evaluate four styles of negotiating this stage of develop-
ment: identity achievement, foreclosure, moratorium, and
diffusion. He also developed the Ego Identity Incomplete
Sentence Blank as an overall measure of diffusion. These
two measures were significantly correlated, although in
later research Marcia discarded the incomplete sentence
blank as less effective then the interview. The findings
also indicated that high identity subjects performed better
on a "stressful concept attainment task" than low identity
subjects. Further, he found a positive relationship between
high identity status and increased years in college. The
scales did not, however, differentiate levels of self-esteem
under stress. There *was also some indication that the
stress treatment itself was contaminated.

Marcia's 1963 study was followed by one in 1966 in
which he used both the semi-structured interview and the
incomplete sentence blank. The purpose was the establish-
ment of the validity of the instrument by investigation of
(1) performance on stressful concept-attainment tasks, (2)

patterns of goal setting, (3) authoritarianism and (4)

24

vulnerability to self—esteem change. The study resulted in
experimentally defined profiles of each of the four ego
identity statuses.

The four identity statuses which were developed were:
(1) identity achievement, (2) moratorium, (3) foreclosure,
and (4) diffusion. Marcia (1967) defined the statuses in
the following way:

The identity achievement status has experienced a
crisis period and is committed to an occupation
and ideology. The moratorium status refers to
those individuals currently engaged in decision '
making with commitments vague. Individuals in the
foreclosure status are similar to the illustration
given above; they seem to have experienced no
crisis, yet have firm, often parentally determined
commitments. The identity diffusion status has no
apparent commitments. Moratoriums, in contrast to
identity diffusion, are characterized by the
presence of struggle and attempts to make commit-
ments. Foreclosures are distinguished from
identity achievement individuals by the lack of
any crisis period in the former (p. 119).

 

 

 

 

In 1967, Marcia sought further validity for the four
identity statuses. The study had as its purpose the refuta-
tion of a- previous criticism: that although each of the
identity statuses had been conceptualized as having specifi-
cally unique characteristics, they might, in reality,
represent a ”continuum of maladjustment or psychopathology”
(Marcia, 1967, p. 122). In the study the Welsh Anxiety
Scale (WAS), an authoritarian measure, and exposure to
self-esteem manipulation were used as means of comparing the
statuses. With these measures, further validational
evidence was obtained. Subjects who were low in ego

identity seemed more vulnerable to self—esteem manipulation

25

than those who were high in ego identity. Further, the WAS
did not indicate a continuum of pathology. On the contrary,
as hypothesized by Erikson and Marcia, the "in-crisis"
status (moratorium) received the highest WAS scores and the
status characterized by compliance to parental ideology
(foreclosure) received the lowest.

These original studies by Marcia (1964, 1966, 1967)
inspired a number of further investigations which used the
semi-structured interview as a measure. In 1970, continuing
Marcia's procedure of using college students as subjects,
Waterman and Waterman conducted two studies of the relation-
ship between ego identity status and satisfaction. with
college itself. Data for the first study 'was gathered
through two semi-structured interviews: one concerning ego
identity status evaluation and the other college satisfac-
tion. Data for the second study was obtained from analysis
of the scores of college seniors on the previously adminis-
tered College Student Questionnaires. The results indicated
that the experience of a crisis over occupational choice was
an important factor in dissatisfaction with college.

Recognizing a lack of data on women, Marcia and
Freedman (1970) undertook a study of college females in
relation to ego identity formation. The aim of the study
was to apply ego-identity constructs to women, by adding a
new criteria: attitudes toward premarital intercourse.
Five measures were used: (1) difficulty of college major,

(2) performance on the Luchens Einstellung problems, (3)

26

self-esteem, (4) authoritarianism, and (5) Welsh Anxiety
Scale scores. The results included several conclusions:
(1) no differences in intelligence among the statuses, (2)
identity achievement subjects had more difficult majors than
diffusion subjects, (3) foreclosure individuals had the
highest self-esteem and authoritarian scores and lowest WAS
scores, (4) moratorium subjects were lowest in authori-
tarianism, and (5) diffusions obtained the highest. WAS
scores. Finally, the Luchen's measure was deemed inappro-
priate for use with the ego identity construct.

In a further effort to empirically define the status,
Orlofsky, Marcia and Lesser (1972) investigated the rela-
tionship of ego identity status to Erikson's next stage,
intimacy versus isolation. Returning to the all male
population pool of earlier studies, they examined the
relationship of each subject's ego identity status to
measures of intimacy, isolation, autonomy, social desira-
bility, affiliation and heterosexuality. The results again
included several components: (1) identity achievements
seemed to possess the greatest capacity for intimacy, (2)
foreclosure and diffusion subjects appeared to have inter-
personal relationships characterized as stereotyped and
superficial, (3) diffusion subjects were least intimate and
most isolated, (4) foreclosures had lowest autonomy and
highest social desirability scores, and (5) moratorium
subjects were variable. A new status was also added,

alienated achievement status. These individuals were

27

described as having, along with the achievement status, the
greatest capacity for intimacy. They also were described as
least isolated with highest scores of all the statuses for
autonomy and affiliation. All of the data seemed to support
"intimacy" as a valid research construct and the hypothesis
that successful resolution of the intimacy-isolation crisis
related to positive resolution of the identity crisis.

In 1972, Schinkel and Marcia further explored the area
of women, ego-identity status and attitudes toward pre-
marital sex, that had been initially investigated by Marcia
and Freedman (1970). The purpose of the study was to test
the effectiveness of the additional sex questions "to the
initial ego identity status interview areas of occupation,
religion and politics. Dependent variables replicating
previous studies, were authoritarianism, anxiety, and
self-esteem. The results of the study showed that the
religion and sex areas of the interview demonstrated the
highest predictive power. Findings of previous studies on
authoritarianism and anxiety were replicated.

Marvin Podd (1972) studied the relationship between ego
identity status and morality. He compared the scores of
male college students on Marcia's Identity Status Interview
and Kohlberg's Moral Judgement Interview. He found that
identity achievement subjects seemed to have the highest
level. of :moral judgement and that. diffusion individuals
seemed to have either the least mature or a transitional

stage of moral judgement. Crisis subjects were seen as

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28

unstable and inconsistent in their moral judgements. The
results seemed to be in agreement with the conceptual bases
for Erikson's theory and Marcia's instrument.

In 1974 Waterman, Geary and Waterman published the
results of a longitudinal study of changes in male college
students from freshman to senior year. The study provided
some interesting data. As predicted, there were significant
increases in the number of students in the achievement
status, especially in the occupational and ideological
areas. The achievement status was also found to be the most
stable from the end of freshman year to senior year.
Finally, although the developmental trend was positive and
evident, many subjects completed college in the diffusion
status.

In 1970, Simmins sought to modify Marcia's instrument
in an attempt to streamline the procedures and reduce the
subjectiveness of the scoring. He developed a twenty-four
item, objectively scorable scale. However, the scale
yielded a score for the individual and not a specific status

as Marcia's interview does.

Evaluation of Marcia's Identity Status Interview

Although Marcia's original study and the supporting
research were followed by several other attempts (Henry and
Hess (1965), Hummel and Sprinthal (1965), Jones (1967),
Cribin (1966), Lepsig (1967)) to design an instrument to

measure ego identity, none of the instruments were as

29

successful or as widely used as Marcia's. In comparison
with all of the studies prior to its appearance, Marcia's
research seems to be more broadly defined and most clearly
focused on the concept of identity rather than the concept
of ”self". Self psychology, as elucidated by Kohut, has a
significant contribution to make to psychological theory.
Nonetheless the identity is part of the self, not equivalent
to it. Kohut (1977) states that the constructs of self
psychology are not particularly useful to states where the
ego is severely impaired as in infancy and psychosis and to
states where the ego is functioning fairly' well as in
neurosis. It is especially useful in the area of character
disorders, or as he calls them, disorders of the self. Thus
in looking at normal development, the healthy self becomes
the backdrop for developmental or situational crisis:

Whenever we are observing a person who strives for

pleasure or pursues vengeful or destructive

purposes (or who is in conflict concerning these

aims or opposes them) it is possible to discern a

self which, while it includes drives (and/or

defenses) in its organization, has become a

supraordinated configuration whose significance

transcends that of the sum of its parts. Still,

if the self is healthy, firmly coherent, and of

normal strength, then it will not spontaneously

become the focus of our empathic (or introspective

attention; our attention will not be claimed by

the encompassing supraordinated configuration that

is in balance, but by those of its subordinated

contents (narcissistic aims, drive aims, defenses,

conflicts) that are not. (Kohut, 1977, p. 97.)
Defining identity by equating it with the self would be to
miss the specifics of the concept. Bronson (1959), Gruen
(1960), Block (1961), Heilbrun (1964), Howard and Kubis

(1967) and Lipig (1967) all focused on self concept and role

30

stability, a rather narrow view of the identity. The
strength of Marcia's instrument lies in its Eriksonian
definition of identity along crisis/commitment lines and its
discrimination of individuals' style of dealing with crisis
along intrapsychic as well as psychosocial dimensions.

A criticism (Bauer, 1972, p. 5) leveled against
Marcia's measure was that "no attempts were made to evaluate
behavior associated 'with earlier psychosocial phases of
development.” Although this accusation is true, it is
inappropriate. Marcia sought first to verify the existence
of identity and its usefulness as an operational construct.
Bauer's criticism asks further questions -- what is the
etiology of identity? and is Erikson correct in postulating
success in one stage will aid successful resolution of later
stages? In fact, as noted earlier, Orlofsky, Marcia and
Lesser (1972) studied the relationship'of ego identity to
the next stage, intimacy versus isolation. Bauer, himself,
in 1972 researched the relationship of ego identity (using
Rasmussen's scale) to the previous stage, industry versus
inferiority. Both studies successfully established the
relationship predicted by Erikson.

Thus the strengths of Marcia's instrument lie in
several areas. The identity status interview successfully
defines ego identity theoretically and empirically.
Theoretically, the measure closely follows Erikson's
concepts. Empirically, it has bperationalized these

concepts and established their validity. Further, the

31

instrument has inspired a large number of studies seeking to
expand its 'usefulness and ‘validity. For these reasons,
Marcia's measure of Erikson's concepts has been selected for

use in the current study.

Part III. Research Related to Operationalization
of the Role of Ego Strength in
Identity Formation
Missing from the studies mentioned - previously is a
measure of the role of ego strength in the process of
identity formation. Little has been done empirically to
establish the intrapsychic relationship of ego strength to
the identity status of an individual. Thus, the coupling of
Marcia's instrument with an ego strength measure would seem
to be important in an investigation of identity formation.
The MMPI provides an excellent scale for measuring this
psychological component through one of the "new" scales, ES

or ego strength.

Development of the ES Scale of the MMPI

The ego strength scale ‘was originally' developed. to
"identify differences in degree of psychological readiness
to profit from psychotherapy.” (Dahlstrom, Welsh and
Dahlstrom, 1975, p. 31). Sixty—eight items from the MMPI
were selected by Barron (1953) which significantly
correlated with rated improvement in thirty-three neurotic

patients who were in treatment for six months in a

32

psychiatric clinic. Although the sample size was small, the
inter-rater reliability was high (.91). Barron (1980)
stated his rationale for the small sample in this way:
It. was reasoned that a small number of well
studied cases who were classified with high
reliability, and. . . .with high accuracy as well,
would serve better than the practical alternative,
which was to get a large sample in which the
therapist's rating of outcome was accepted
uncritically. (p. 268)
The result of Barron's research was a scale which measured a
general factor of "capacity for personality integration, or
ego strength.” There were definite characteristics which
were measured as part of ego strength: physiological
stability and good health, a strong sense of reality,
feelings of personal adequacy and vitality, permissive
morality, lack of ethnic prejudice, emotional outgoingness
and spontaneity, and intelligence (Barron, 1980, p. 284).
It was not particularly useful in identifying specific
psychiatric disorders, but it was clearly able to separate

the well-adapted individual from one experiencing serious

difficulty coping.

Validation of the ES Scale of the MMPI

Further research on three clinical samples supported
the original work by Barron. Cross-validation was done by
R.D. Wirt (1955), welkowitz (1959) and Sinnet (1962) with VA
hospital patients. Their findings supported the scale as a
sound predictor of success in therapy. Distler, May and

Tuma (1964) also found ES scores relating positively to

33

outcome among schizophrenic patients. Some studies did,
however, produce negative but explainable findings.
Sullivan, Miller and Smelser (1958) conducted a study of a
VA mental health clinic in which therapists were the raters
of their patients' improvement. The results pointed to no
relationship between ego strength and improvement. The
rating procedure in the original sample for the development
of the scale, however, used 2 separate judges, with in depth
knowledge of the small sample. Barron felt that to use
therapists' ratings was to significantly reduce the
reliability of the ratings. Three other studies, Gettern
and Sundland (1962), Fowler, Teel and Coyle (1967) and Kidd
(1968) also reported a lack of relationship between the
scale and prognosis. However, these studies also used
therapists ratings and did not gather or report data on the
amount of contact each patient had with the clinic.

Finally, there exists an interesting and somewhat
paradoxical relationship between ES scores and psychotherapy
outcome. As Dahlstrom and Dahlstrom (1980, p. 169) state:

. . . .patients who are most in need of help (very

low scores on ES) are said to benefit from it

least; those in need of it least (very high

scores) benefit most.
Further, those individuals in a cdinic setting with normal
MMPI profiles, with extreme elevation only in the ES score
may be massively denying their emotional turmoil and as such
have a poor prognosis in therapy.

In conclusion, the ES scale of the MMPI was developed

as a prognostic criterion for success in therapy. As such,

34

it was designed to assess an individual's ego strengths -—-
his ability to be resilient and adaptable under the stresses
of life. Its validity as a personality measure has been
established. Finally, it shares a common weakness with the
identity status interview in that it is not normed off of an

early adolescent population.

35

Summary and Conclusions

Identity formation was the focus of the current study.
The term. ”identity” has had a long' history: from its
initial use by Sigmund Freud as ”primary identification,“
through Anna Freud's "identification with the aggressor,” to
the identity-diffusion stage of development which Erikson
described. Erikson viewed adolescence as a time of experi-
mentation in which an individual reorganized previous
experience into a new and stable sense of self. Key to
Erikson's conceptualization. was the role of the ego in
negotiating the stage's two main characteristics: the
experience of crisis and the resolution through commitment.

Many attempts were made to operationalize Erikson's
constructs and to verify them empirically. AMong a host of
empirical research, the identity status interview, designed
and validated by James Marcia gained prominence as a suc-
cessful and widely used measure. Through the use of a
structured interview, Marcia was able to place individuals
in one of four identity statuses: (1) identity achievement,
(2) moratorium, (3) foreclosure, and (4) diffusion. Follow-
ing Marcia's original research, a number of studies were
conducted which were able to add further reliability to the
instrument.

However, none of the studies of identity formation
sought to investigate the relationship between the indi-

vidual's ego strength and his identity status. A research

36

instrument which effectively measured ego strength in a form
amenable to statistical analysis was the ego strength (ES)
scale of the MMPI (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality
Inventory). This scale was designed by Barron (1953) to
measure an individual's adaptability and general psycho-
logical health. With Marcia's instrument, it was included
in this study in order to explore a new' dimension of
identity formation.

It is also evident from the previous review of the
studies concerning identity that the population most
frequently researched has been that of male college
students. Several studies have dealt with college females,
but the focus has been very limited. With a few exceptions,
the early adolescent population, i.e., high school students,
has been neglected. The rare use of the high school popula-
tion provided the rationale for its inclusion in this
research. It logically also prescribed the nature of the
research questions: they were exploratory in nature. The
aim was to explore the style with which early adolescents
negotiated the identity-diffusion stage of development.
Hypotheses were based on the data from the previously
described studies of college students and expanded to

include the ego strength dimension.

37

CHAPTER III

DESIGN OF THE STUDY

The theoretical and empirical perspectives discussed in
Chapter II became the foundation for the current study.
Procedures were developed to carefully integrate the infor-
mation garnered from. previous thinking and research on
identity fermation. The purpose of Chapter III then is to
present the general design of the study through a discussion-
of the sample, the measures, the statistical design, the

testable hypotheses and the data analysis.

Sample
The sample for the study was derived from the high

school population of a town suburban to the Boston metro-
politan area. Volunteers were solicited from a pool
composed. of the 192 female ninth. and. 178 twelfth. grade
students in the school in the spring of 1982. In an attempt
to control the sample for normality, all volunteers who had
been in therapy ‘were removed from. the sample. Of the
seventy (70) ninth grade girls who responded to the call
for volunteers, twenty-seven (27) actually participated in
the research. None had. been in therapy. In contrast,
fifty-six (56) twelfth grade females responded to the
researcher's solicitation. Of that number twenty-eight (28)
girls actually participated on the research. However, three

(3) of the twenty-eight (28) twelfth grade girls were

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38

removed from the sample because they had been seeing a
therapist. Thus the sample secured was highly
self-selected.

The twenty-seven (27) ninth grade subjects ranged in
age from 14 years 8 months to 16 years 6 months with a mean
of 15 years 2 months. The twenty-five (25) twelfth grade
students ranged in age from 17 years 6 months to 19 years 4
months with a mean of 18 years 2 months.

The town in which the high school is located can be
described by a number of demographic features (Massachusetts
Department of Commerce and Development, 1976). It was first
settled in the early 1600's and incorporated in the mid
1800's. Once largely pastoral, it is currently a residen-
tial community with some manufacturing (13 firms). Trade
pursuits appear to employ the largest number of people,
followed by the service industry and construction. In 1975,
the total population. was 28, 285 with 98.9% describing
itself as white, .2% as black, 43.4% as foreign stock and
13.6% as foreign born. The median number of school years
completed by persons twenty-five years and older is 12.8
with 27% reporting completion of college. The median income

for families in 1970 was $13,559 breaking down as follows:

Income under $3,000 3.6%
From $3,000 - 5,999 8.2%
From $6,000 - 9,999 18.1%
$10,000 - 14,000 27.5%
$15,000 and over 42.6%

Further, the town is composed of a variety of occupational

groups.

39

Professional, technical and kindred 28.9%
Management 13.2%
Clerical 23.9%
Sales 8.6%
Craftsman 7.6%
Foreman, etc. 6.2%
Service workers 8.0%
Laborers 2.4%

Thus, although the town seems to be largely middle class, it
contains a broad range of class membership, extending from

blue collar workers through professional ranks.

Measures

Two measures were employed in the study. The first,
the Identity Status Interview devised by James Marcia (1966)
may be found with the scoring manual in Appendix A. The
second, the ES or ego strength scale of the MMPI, is located
in Appendix B.

Marcia's interview is semi-structured and designed to
yield. an individual's identity status. Through. it four
mutually exclusive positions can be identified: identity
achievement, moratorium, foreclosure,- and identity dif-
fusion. Marcia (1967) described them in the following way:

The identity achievement status has experienced a
crisis period and is committed to an occupation
and ideology. The moratorium status refers to
those individuals currently engaged in decision
making with commitments vague. Individuals in the
foreclosure status are similar to the illustration
given above: they seem to have experienced no
crises, yet have firm, often parentally determined
commitments. The identity diffusion status has no
apparent commitments. Moratoriums, in contrast to
identity diffusion, are characterized by the
presence of struggle and attempts to make commit-
ments. Foreclosures are distinguished from
identity achievement individuals by the lack of
any crisis period in the former (p. 119).

 

 

 

40

The validity of the measure has been established by
Marcia in several studies (1964, 1966, 1967). In the 1964
study, Marcia used two rating judges and established 70%
agreement on identity statuses. In the 1966 work, Marcia
utilized two measures: an incomplete sentence blank and a
structured interview. He sought to establish validity of
the instruments along dependent variables of patterns of
goal setting, authoritarianism and vulnerability to self-
esteem change. The interview proved to be more successful
than the incomplete-sentences tests which "treated ego
identity as a simple linear quality" (1966, p. 558). The
result was thus partial validation of the statuses and the
establishment of interjudge reliability.

The third study (1967), had as it purpose the refuta-
tion of the notion that although each identity status had
been conceptualized as having specifically unique charac-
teristics, they might, in reality, represent a "continuum of
maladjustment or psychopathology" (1967, p. 122). Thus the
aim of the study was to compare the statuses on the Welsh
Anxiety Scale, an authoritarian measure and exposure to
self-esteem manipulation. Further validational evidence was
obtained. Subjects who were low in ego identity seemed more
vulnerable to self-esteem manipulation and the WAS scores
did not indicate a continuum of pathology. On the contrary,
as hypothesized by Erikson and Marcia, the "in-crisis"

status received the highest WAS scores and the status

41

characterized by compliance to parental ideology scored the
lowest.

All of the above studies used male college students as
subjects. No attempt in these initial studies was made to
broaden the population.

The ego strength scale of the MMPI was also developed
through the use of a narrowly defined population. In 1953
Barron constructed a scale from the large item pool of the
MMPI by attempting to evaluate the improvement in
psychotherapy of 33 neurotic patients. The resultant scale

seemed to reflect the constructive forces in

personality which enable a person to cope with an
emotional crisis, profit from. psychological
support and insights, and avoid some chronologi-
cally maladaptive pattern of emotional reaction.
(Dahlstrom, Welsh & Dahlstrom, 1980, p. 168)
Further research on three more clinical samples supported
the original work by Barron. Cross-validation was done by
R.D. Wirt (1955), Welkowitz (1959) and Sinnet (1962) with VA
hospital patients. Their findings supported the scale as a
sound predictor of success in therapy. Distler, May and
Tuma (1964) also found ES scores relating positively to
outcome among schizophrenic patients. Some studies did,
however, produce negative but explainable findings.
Sullivan, Miller and Smelser (1958) conducted a study of a
VA mental health clinic in which therapists were the raters
of their patients' improvement. The rating procedure in the
original sample for the development of the scale, however,

used 2 separate judges, with in depth knowledge of the small

sample. Barron felt that to use therapists' ratings was to

42

significantly reduce the reliability of the ratings. Three
other studies, Getter and Sundland (1962), Fowler, Teel and
Coyle (1967) and Kidd (1968) also reported a lack of rela-
tionship between the scale and prognosis. However, these
studies also used therapists' ratings and did not gather or
report data on the amount of contact each patient had with
the clinic.

Finally, there exists an interesting and somewhat
paradoxical relationship between ES scores and psychotherapy
outcome. As Dahlstrom, Welsh and Dahlstrom (1980, p. 169)
state:

patients who are most in need of help (very low

scores on ES) are said to benefit from it least:

those in. need of it least (very’ high scores)
benefit most.
Further, those individuals in a clinic setting with normal
MMPI profiles, with extreme elevation only in the ES score
may be massively denying their emotional turmoil and as such
have a poor prognosis in therapy.

Thus, the ES scale of the MPI was develoPed as a
prognostic criterion for success in therapy. As such, it
assesses an individual's ego strengths - his ability to be
resilient and adaptable under the stresses of life. Its
validity as a personality measure is well established. It
shares a common weakness with the identity status interview

in that it is not normed off of an early adolescent

population.

43

Procedures

 

Procedures ‘were devised for 'various aspects of the
research. They were organized along chronical lines, that
is, pre-data gathering procedures, data gathering proce-
dures, and post data gathering procedures. All forms used
during these phases of the research may be found in the
appendices.

During the first phase, permission was obtained from
the town's school board through the high school principal to
conduct the research with ninth and twelfth grade students.
Notice of a voluntary study was distributed by the
researcher in English classes in the high school. At that
time students returned forms containing their name, address
and phone number and an indication of interest in partici-
pating in the study. The researcher then contacted each
student by phone to further explain the study and to make an
appointment for an interview.

Next each subject was required to present a signed
consent form upon her appearance for an interview. At that
time she was given a code number and all further responses
by the subject were identified only by number, not name.
The researcher was the only person with access to the master
list of codes and names. The subject was then asked to fill
out the ego strength measure individually. Lastly, she was
escorted to a room for an interview with one of two female

interviewers who had been previously trained by the

 

'fr’.

[-1

44

researcher. Upon completion of both tasks each subject was
paid five dollars.

Lastly, once the data was gathered, scoring procedures
were developed. Three women were trained to use the scoring
manual for the Identity Status Interview. All three had
experience in working with adolescents in a mental health
setting. All three were able to reach a high level of
agreement during the training sessions. In contrast, the
ego strength scale of the MPI required objective rather
than subjective scoring. Thus, all of the MMPI results were

handscored by the researcher.

Rater Reliability for the Identity Status Interview

As noted above, the Identity Status Interview required
subjective scoring by a team of raters. Each rater scored
all fifty-two interviews blindly. All notations concerning
the age or grade of the subject were removed. Once the
scoring was completed the reliability or degree of agreement
between the three raters was computed.

The reliability was computed in two different ways.
First, simple agreement was computed. The results were that
two or more of the three raters agreed 96% of the time.
Broken down by grade, agreement was 92.5% on the ninth
grader interviews and 100% on the twelfth grade. In
contrast, in regards to the ninth graders, two or more

raters agreed on 25 out of 27 subjects. On the two subjects

45

where there was no agreement, a fourth rater was trained and
asked to rate the two interviews.

The reliability was also checked by an Index of
Concordance (Jensen, 1959). This procedure took into
consideration the degree of agreement between raters on the
four choices each had to make in scoring each interview.
Specifically, each rater had to accept one status and reject
three others. Using this method, the overall percentage of
agreement was 91%. That figure can be broken down to yield
a percentage of agreement on freshmen interviews of 89% and
percentage of agreement on senior interviews of 93%. All of
the estimates were within the acceptable range for a

research measure.

Design and Analysis

The study was exploratory in a natural setting. Within
the research an attempt was made to measure the differences
in ego strength and identity status (specifically moratorium
and diffusion) between females in ninth grade and twelfth
grade. The dependent variables were James Marcia's Identity
Status Interview and the ego strength scale of the MMPI.
The independent variable was grade level.

Analysis of the data. was completed by use of two
different statistical procedures. A chi-square procedure
with the Fisher Exact Probability Test was used to test
hypotheses regarding the shift from diffusion to moratorium.

The t-test for independent means was used to test hypotheses

46

concerning the role of ego strength. Each statistical
procedure is separately discussed below.

First, as noted above, the chi-square procedure was
chosen for use with the data gathered from the Identity
Status Interview. This data was used in investigating the
shift from diffusion to moratorium. To review, the data
came in the form of a label of one of four mmtually exclu-
sive identity statuses: diffusion, moratorium, foreclosure,
or achievement. Because the data was in this category form,
and not derived from a measure with equal intervals, one of
the assumptions of parametric procedures could not be met.
Thus, a non-parametric procedure was required.

Specifically, the chi-square (x3) test was chosen for
two reasons. First, it is suited to instances where the
data is in the form of frequency counts. In the current
research, the number of subjects falling into each category
in each grade were counted, yielding frequency counts for
each of the four categories in each grade. However, in
actual calculation only the counts for the categories
diffusion and moratorium ‘were used. The remaining two
categories, achievement and foreclosure, were not used
because of a low expected sample size. Expectations,
regarding them, however, were put forth as exploratory
hypotheses for observation and report. Second, the
chi-square test was chosen because it was necessary to test
for differences between means in a sample where the n in

each group was less than 29.

47

The chi-square test is a distribution-free statistic
with an underlying assumption of independence. This
assumption was met in the present research.

Finally, the Fischer Exact Probability Test was
performed on the identity status data after the original
chi-square. Like the chi-square, the Fischer Test is a
nonparametric statistic which can be used with two-by-two
frequency tables. However, unlike the chi-square the
Fischer test is based on exact probabilities and is appro-
priate for use with small samples. In the case of the
identity status data, the reliability of the chi-square was
questionable because of two expected cell frequencies which
were less than five. Thus the Fischer Exact was computed to
establish the reliability of the analysis.

Second, the t-test for independent means was chosen for
use in investigating the relationship of ego strength to
identity status. Specifically, the data involved were the
numerical scores from the ego strength scale of the MMPI.

The t-test had three underlying assumptions about the
scores used. The first assumption was that the scores were
in interval form. This assumption was met with the data
from the MPI. The second assumption required that the
studied pOpulation be normally distributed. It was not
clear whether this assumption was met in the volunteer
sample. However, the t-test is robust for the violation of
this assumption. Finally, the third assumption stated that

the score variances for the sample population were equal.

48

Borg and Gall (1979, 455). state:

Generally we do not know the population distribu-
tion of scores or the population variance: instead
our information about the population is based on
inferences from sample statistics. It has been
found empirically that even if the assumption
underlying the t-test. are ‘violated, the t—test
will still provide in most instances an accurate
estimate of the significance level for differences

In reference to this last assumption and the previous one,

between sample means.

The p value for all tests was set at .05. It was

assumed that this would be an adequate level given the

exploratory nature of the research.

Hypotheses

In order to further elucidate the bases of the

hypotheses

, the characteristics which distinguish early and

late adolescence are summarized below. The GAP manual

(1968, 79-94) on normal adolescence is helpful in this

regard, an

d its findings are summarized below:

Major Characteristics of Early Adolescence

(puberty to mid-teens)

1. Rebellion and withdrawal from adults and their
values

2. Intense narcissism

3. Peer group seen as vitally important

4. Intense sexual urges and feelings experienced and
expressed

5. Significant increase in aggressive urges

6. Significant increase in emotional and intellectual
abilities

7. Attitudes and behavior seem unpredictable and

subject to experimentation

49

Major Characteristics of Late Adolescence
(mid-teens to resolution)

1. More independent of family but more involved with
society at large

2. Begin interest in employment, politics, social
welfare

3. Continuation of sense of play

4. Acknowledgement of the realities of conforming to
society

5. Move toward shared sexual experience

6. Identity-seeking clearly evident

7. Serious interest in ethics and religion

8. Consideration of ideals and commitment to them

9. First attainment of adult prerogatives

In this research, ninth graders were considered early
adolescents and twelfth graders were considered late adoles-
cents. Each subject was classified, on the basis of her
interview as one of four identity statuses: achievement,
moratorium, foreclosure, or diffusion. The main hypotheses,
however, focused upon the expected shift from diffusion in
early adolescence to moratorium in the beginning of late
adolescence. Previous research suggested that the achieve-
ment status would not be attained by twelfth graders and
thus was not studied. Similarly, foreclosure was not a
focus for two reasons. First, it was assumed that only a
small number of subjects would be classified in high school
as foreclosure. Second, it was also assumed that such a
status in a high school subject might be extremely transi-

tory. Thus, the assumption that the foreclosure status was

50

a stable category' might. be premature in the population

sampled.

The following are the null and alternative hypotheses:

H01

H8

HO

HA

HO

HA

HO

HA

There are no differences in the proportion of
moratorium. (M) and diffusion (D) among ninth
grade (9) female students.

There are a higher proportion of diffusion (D)
than moratorium (M) among ninth grade (9) female
students.

HO1 D9 = M9

HA1 D9 > M9 p < .05
There are no differences in the proportion of
moratorium (M) and diffusion (D) among twelfth
grade (12) female students.

There are a higher proportion of moratorium (M)
than diffusion (D) among twelfth grade (12)
female students.

HO2 M12 = D

HA2 M12 ’ D12 P ‘
There are no differences between ninth (9) and
twelfth (12) grade females on the ego strength
scale (ES) of the MMPI.

12
.05

The scores of the 9th grade (9) female students
on the ego strength scale (ES) of the MMPI are
lower than those of the twelfth grade (12) female
students.

HO3 E59 = E812

HA3 359 < 3512 . p < .05
There are no differences between the ego strength
scores (E8) of the ninth grade (9) female
students in diffusion (D) and the ninth grade (9)
female students in moratorium (M)

The ego strength scores (ES) of the ninth grade
(9) female students in the diffusion (D) are less
than the scores of the ninth grade (9) female
students in moratorium (M).

HO4 ES9D = E59M

HO

HA

The

51

4 E890 < ES9M
There are no differences between the ego strength
scores (E8) of the twelfth. grade (12) female
students in diffusion (D) and the twelfth grade
(12) female students in Moratorium (M).

HA p < .05

The ego strength scores (E8) of the twelfth grade
(12) female students in the diffusion (D) will be
lower than the ego strength scores of twelfth
grade (12) female students in moratorium (M).

HO5 ES120 = ES

HA5 ESIZD < ES

12M

12M p < .05

following hypotheses represent exploratory

hypotheses which were not tested with a statistical model

but were observed and reported in numerical values only.

H

5

The proportion of subjects in 9th and 12th grade
in achievement status ranges from 0 - 5%.

The ‘proportion. of subjects in the foreclosure
status remains constant when comparing 9th and
12th graders. '

52

Summary

The purpose of Chapter III was to present a description
of the procedures used to conduct the study. The sample for
the research was comprised of twenty-seven ninth grade and
twenty-five twelfth grade female high school students. All
subjects were volunteers who had been informed of the study
through their English classes. After presenting consent
forms, completing Marcia's Identity Status Interview and the
ego strength scale of the MMPI, the subjects were each paid
five dollars.

Once the data. was gathered several procedures took
place. The Identity Status Interview was subjectively
scored. by three researcher-trained raters who reached. a
satisfactory degree of agreement. The MMPI was objectively
scored by the researcher. Finally, the chi-square test and
t-tests were used to analyze the data in regard to five

research hypotheses and two exploratory hypotheses.

53

CHAPTER IV

RESEARCH RESULTS

The results of the study are described in Chapter Four.
Each hypothesis is presented accompanied by the results of
the statistical analysis. This presentation is followed by

a discussion of the outcomes of the research.

The First and Second Hypotheses

 

The first and second hypotheses concerned the relation-
ship’ of identity status to grade level. The descriptive
statistics concerning the hypotheses are contained in Table
4.1. The hypotheses were analyzed through the same Chi-
square procedure and thus are here presented together. The

null and alternative hypotheses for each of these follow.

HO1 There are no differences in the proportion
of moratorium (M) and diffusion (D) among
ninth grade (9) female students.

HA1 There are a higher proportion of diffusion
(D) than moratorium (M) among ninth grade
(9) female students.

HO

D = M '

l 9 9

HA1 09 > M9 p < .05

 

 

lave H ism. N .mmme mm “so. o mm menus cums
.wom. m .ws. N .wmme AH .wo. o am woman sum
cowmsmmwo mnemoHomuom Esfluoumuoz ucmEo>mwno¢ a moouo

 

muommnnm masses memuo suoamss
one sunflz 0:054 mmmSDMDm unflucooH mo coHusawuumHo

H.v OHQMB

55

HO There are no difference in the proportion

2 of moratorium (m) and diffusion (d) among
the twelfth grade (12) female students.
HA2 There are a higher proportion of moratorium

(M) than diffusion (d) among twelfth grade
(12) female students.

Ho1 M12 = D12

HA M > D12 p < .05

2 12

A two by two chi-square contingency table was estab—
lished to test the first and second hypotheses. This data
is contained in Table 4.2. The X2 = 6.017 with p < .05
and if = 1. However, it must be noted that because two
cells had an expected frequency of less than 5, the
reliability of the chi-square test was questionable.
Therefore, in order to establish the reliability of the
chi—square procedure, the Fisher Exact Probability was
calculated. The Fisher Exact Probability was ..016 with p
< .02. This test confirmed the reliability of the signifi-
cant results on the chi-square.

Concerning the first hypothesis, the null was rejected
the alternate hypothesis could not be accepted. There was a
significant difference between the two groups (ninth grade
moratorium and ninth grade diffusion) but not in the direc-
tion predicted. Thus, a larger proportion of the ninth
grade girls were in moratorium, rather than diffusion.

Concerning the second hypothesis, the null was rejected

and the alternate hypothesis was accepted. There was a

significant difference between the two groups in the

56

direction predicted. Thus, a larger proportion of twelfth

graders were in moratorium than were in diffusion.

57

Table 4.2

Chi-square Distribution of Moratorium and Diffusion
Among Ninth and Twelfth Grade Female Subjects

 

 

 

 

Grade Moratorium Diffusion
Observed (Expected) Observed (Expected)

9th grade 17 (0) 8 (25)

12th grade 22 (23) 1 (0)

 

Note: Total 9th grade n = 27

Total 12th grade n = 25

58

The Third, Fourth and Fifth Hypotheses

The third, fourth and fifth hypotheses were concerned
with the relationship of ego strength to identity status and
grade level. Statistical analysis of these three hypotheses
yielded mixed results. The descriptive statistics for these
hypotheses are contained in Table 4.3. The t-test results
are contained in Table 4.4. The null and alternative
hypotheses along with the research results for each of these

hypotheses follow.

HO3 There are no differences between ninth (9)
and twelfth (12) grade females on the ego
strength scale (ES) of the MMPI.

HA3 The scores of the ninth grade (9) female

students on the ego strength scale (ES) of
the MMPI are lower than those of the
twelfth grade (12) female students.

HO3

HA ES < E312 B < .05

3 9

A t-test for independent means was performed for this
hypothesis. In that procedure, F = 3.44 with gf = 50 and p
< .005. The null was rejected and the alternative
hypothesis was accepted. There was a statistically signifi-
cant difference between the ninth and twelfth graders on the
ego strength measure in the direction predicted. Thus, on
the whole, the ego strength scores of the ninth grade girls

were significantly lower than the scores of the twelfth

grade girls.

 

 

o.mH o.mm o.m¢ ~m>.H avo.m www.mm o scamsumwa

o.mH o.wm o.vm ov~.a NHH.m wmm.~¢ mm Edwnoumuoz

o.mH o.mm o.vm mHm.o mwm.w omo.mv mm NH oomuu

o.HN o.mm o.vm hwm.o mmo.m Hmv.av hm m momma
whoom whoom Honnm :oflumw>oo

omcmm Easwsfiz Enefixmz oumocmum oumocoum com: a gnome

 

Amouoom 3mm.
muomnnsm mHMEmm mouse suoamss was
nucwz now phenom: numcmuuw 0mm 0:»
mo mofiumwumum o>wumwuommo

m.¢ manna

 

Emamm QNHmm mam

it it Amanmummu uocv Emamm Omamm mom

mmm mama «an

ace v mm mm>.m Emma ommm «om

Nfixm mmm m<m

moo V cm v¢.m mama mmm mom
II. I mononuomhm
m up m o>wuocuouad
can Hasz

 

v.v manna

mommsuomhm sumwm can nuusom .ouwna
may no woman» mo nuanmmm

61

HO4 There are no differences between the ego
strength scores (ES) of the ninth grade (9)
female students in diffusion (d) and the
ninth grade (9) female students in

moratorium (M).

HA4 The ego strength scores (ES) of the ninth
grade (9) female students in the diffusion
(D) are less than the scores of the ninth
grade (9) female students in moratorium (M).

H _

04 ESQD — ES9M

H

A4 E591) < E59“ p < .05

A t-test for independent means was performed for this
hypothesis. In that procedure, §’= 6.796 with g; = 23 and p
< .001. The null was rejected and the alternative
hypothesis was accepted. There was a statistically signifi-
cant difference between the ninth grade moratorium group and.
the ninth grade diffusion group on the ego strength measure
in the direction predicted. Thus, the ego strength scores
of the ninth grade girls who were classified in the dif-
fusion status were significantly lower than the ego strength
scores of the ninth grade girls who were classified in the

moratorium status.

HO5 There are no differences between the ego
strength scores (ES) of the twelfth grade
(12) female students in diffusion (D) and
the twelfth grade (12) female students in
moratorium (M).

HA5 The ego strength scores (ES) of the twelfth
grade (12) female students in diffusion (D)
are lower than the ego strength scores of
the twelfth grade (12) female students in
moratorium (M).

HO ES = ES

5 12D 12M

 

62

HA ES < ES12M p < .05

5 12D

This hypothesis was not testable because the number of
twelfth grade subjects in the diffusion group equalled one.
Thus the n was too small to allow valid statistical

analysis. This small n was also the factor which precluded

the use of an ANOVA to assess the interation effect.

The Exploratory Hypotheses

Two exploratory hypotheses were set forth in Chapter
III. These hypotheses were not to be tested statistically
because of allow expected n. However, the data concerning
them was to be observed and reported. The data related to
these hypotheses is presented in Table 4.4. The hypothesis
and conclusions concerning the data follow.
The proportion of female subjects in ninth

and twelfth grade in the achievement status
will range from 0 - 5%.

H5

By observation, there were no subjects in ninth or
twelfth grade in the achievement status. Thus, the first
general exploratory hypothesis was supported.

H The proportion of subjects in the foreclosure

status will remain constant when comparing
ninth and twelfth graders.

6

By observation, there were equal numbers of subjects
(two each) in the foreclosure status in each grade. Thus,
this second exploratory hypothesis was also supported by the

data gathered.

63

Summary

Five hypotheses were put forth in this research. The
first two hypotheses concerned the proportions of ninth and
twelfth grade females in one of two identity statuses:
diffusion or moratorium. A chi-square test with a Fisher
Exact Probability was used to test the hypotheses. On the
first hypotheses, the null was rejected but the alternate
could not be accepted. Thus, although the prediction was
made that there would be a higher proportion of ninth grade
females in diffusion than moratorium, this was not the case.
Instead, there was a higher proportion of ninth grade girls
in moratorium. Of the combined moratorium and diffusion
group, 68% of the ninth grade girls were classified as
moratorium and only 32% as diffusion. Concerning the second
hypothesis, the null was rejected and the alternate was
accepted. Therefore, the prediction that there would be a
higher proportion of twelfth grade girls in moratorium than
in diffusion was confirmed. Specifically, 95% of the
twelfth grade girls were classified as moratorium. Only one
of the 22 twelfth grade subjects or 5% were classified as
diffusion.

The third, fourth, and fifth hypotheses were concerned
with the relationship of ego strength to grade level and
type of identity status. T-tests for independent means were
used to test the third and fourth hypotheses. The fifth
hypothesis could not be tested because a small n in one of

the categories precluded statistical analysis. This small n

64

also precluded the use of an ANOVA to test for interaction
effects.

In regard to the third hypothesis, the null was
rejected and the alternate was accepted. Thus, as pre-
dicted, the ego strength scores of ninth grade girls were
significantly lower than those of twelfth grade girls.
Similarly, on the fourth hypothesis, the null was rejected
and the alternate was accepted. Therefore, the ego strength
scores of the ninth grade girls who were classified in the
diffusion status were significantly lower than the ego
strength scores of the ninth grade girls who were classified
in the moratorium status. As noted previously, the fifth
hypothesis could not be tested.

TwO exploratory hypotheses were also set forth for
observation and report. Statistical analysis was ruled out
because of a low' expected n. The first of these two
exploratory hypotheses stated that the proportion of female
subjects lin. ninth and. twelfth grade in the achievement
status would range from 0% to 5%. The data supported the
prediction in that there were no subjects in either grade in
the achievement status. The second exploratory hypothesis
predicted that the proportion of subjects the foreclosure
status would remain constant when comparing ninth and
twelfth grade female subjects. The data here also supported
the hypothesis. There were equal numbers of subjects (two

each) in the foreclosure status in each grade.

65

CHAPTER V

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

In Chapter V the research will be reviewed as a whole.
The review will have three parts: 1) a summary of the
study, 2) a discussion of the conclusions and 3) a presenta-
tion of the implications for future research. Specifically,
in the first part, the theoretical and empirical bases for
the research problems will be presented. Here also the
procedures used for’ both. data gathering' and statistical
analysis will be reviewed. Lastly the hypotheses and the
results of the statistical analysis will be set forth. In
the second part, conclusions drawn from the results of the
hypotheses tested will be presented and discussed. Finally
in the third part the limitation of the design and scope of
the study will be reviewed. Following this, suggestions for

the direction of future research will be presented.

Summary

The purpose of the research was a) to explore in a
natural setting the level of ego identity status achieved by
female members of a high school population and b) to examine
the relationship of an individual's ego strength to the
achieved identity status. Specifically, the identity status
and ego strength of female students in the ninth and twelfth

grade were measured and analyzed.

P?

I"?

'1,

66

The research was based on the developmental theories of
Erik Erikson. With the publication of Identity Youth and
Crisis in 1968 Erikson set forth an innovative theory of
identity formation. He ‘proposed that. adolescence ‘was a
stage of development in which the formation of identity was
the focal issue. He argued that identity formation began
with a diffuse intrapsychic state in which the individual
seemed largely disinterested in self-reflection and future
direction. As adolescence progressed, however, Erikson
proposed that individuals became more reflective and con-
cerned with self issues. This new focus then precipitated
the development of an internal crisis characterized by
confusion and turmoil Finally he suggested that the crisis
was resolved as the individual made commitments to an
internal cohesive system of values, morals, and life goals.
Erikson also argued that the major organizing agent in the
development of identity was the ego. He reasoned that it
was the ego which supplied the strength to delay gratifica-
tion and to tolerate ambiguity and confusion as the develop-
mental process progressed.

Erikson's formulation concerning identity, although
based on Freudian underpinnings, was innovative and provoca-
tive. It stimulated a sizeable amount of empirical study.
Researchers sought to operationalize the theory along
different axes with ‘varying success. Amidst. a host. of
empirical research, the Identity Status Interview designed

and validated by James Marcia (1964) gained prominence as a

67

successful and widely used measure. Through the use of a
structured interview, Marcia was able to place individuals
in one of four identity statuses: diffusion, foreclosure,
moratorium, or achievement. Following .Marcia's original
research, a number of studies were conducted which were able
to add further validity and reliability to the instrument.

However, none of the studies of identity status sought
to investigate the relationship between the individual's ego
strength and identity status. A research instrument which
effectively measured ego strength in a form amenable to
statistical analysis was the ego strength (ES) scale of the
MPI (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory). This
scale was designed by Barron (1980) to measure an indi-
vidual's adaptability and general psychological health.
With Marcia's instrument, the ES scale was included in the
research in order to explore a new dimension of identity
formation.

The research took shape through a series of procedures.
Specifically the sample of the research was comprised of
twenty-seven ninth grade and twenty-five twelfth grade
female high school students. All subjects were volunteers
who had been informed of the study through their English
classes. After' presenting’ consent forms, completing
Marcia's Identity Status Interview' and. the: ego strength
scale of the MMPI, the subjects were each paid five dollars.

Once the data was gathered several other procedures

took place. The Identity Status Interview was subjectively

68

scored by three researcher-trained raters who reached a
satisfactory degree of inter-rater reliability. The MMPI
was objectively scored by the researcher. Finally, chi-
square and t-tests were used to analyze the data in regard
to five research hypotheses and two exploratory hypotheses.

Five hypotheses were put forth in this research. The
first two hypotheses concerned the proportions of ninth and
twelfth grade females in one of two identity statuses:
diffusion or moratorium. A chi-square test with a Fisher
Exact Probability was used to test the hypotheses. On the
first hypotheses, the null was rejected but the alternate
could not be accepted. Thus, although the prediction was
made that there would be a higher proportion of ninth grade
females in diffusion than moratorium, this was not the case.
Instead, there was a higher proportion of ninth grade girls
in moratorium. Of the combined moratorium and diffusion
group, 68% of the ninth grade girls were classified as
moratorium and only 32% as diffusion. Concerning the second
hypothesis, the null was rejected and the alternate was
accepted. Therefore, the prediction that there would be a
higher proportion of twelfth grade girls in moratorium than
in diffusion was confirmed. Specifically, 95% of the
twelfth grade girls were classified as moratorium. Only one
of the 22 twelfth grade subjects or 5% were classified as
diffusion.

The third, fourth, and fifth hypotheses were concerned

with the relationship of ego strength to grade level and

69

type of identity status. T-tests for independent means were
used to test the third and fourth hypotheses. The fifth
hypothesis could not be tested because a small n in one of
the categories precluded statistical analysis. This small n
also precluded the use of ANOVA to test for interaction
effects.

In regard to the third hypothesis, the null was
rejected and the alternate was accepted. Thus, as pre-
dicted, the ego strength scores of ninth grade girls were
significantly lower than those of twelfth grade girls.
Similarly, on the fourth hypothesis, the null was rejected
and the alternate was accepted. Therefore, the ego strength
scores of the ninth grade girls who were classified in the
diffusion status were significantly lower than the ego
strength scores of the ninth grade girls who were classified
in the moratorium status. As noted previously, the fifth
hypothesis could not be tested.

Two exploratory' hypotheses ‘were also set forth for
observation and report. Statistical analysis was ruled out
beCause of a 10W’ expected n. The first of these two
exploratory hypotheses stated that the proportion of female
subjects in ninth and twelfth grade in the achievement
status would range from 0% to 5%. The data supported the
prediction in that there were no subjects in either grade in
the achievement status. The second exploratory hypothesis
predicted that the proportion of subjects in the foreclosure

status would remain constant when comparing ninth and

70

twelfth grade female subjects. The data here also supported
the hypothesis. There were equal numbers of subjects (two

each) in the foreclosure status in each grade.

71

CONCLUSIONS AND DISCUSSION

The statistical analysis of the hypothesis generated a
number of conclusions. The conclusions along with pertinent
discussion are presented in three sections. First,
conclusions concerning the shift from diffusions to mora-
torium are presented. Next, conclusions pertaining to the
relationship of the ego strength measure to identity status
are discussed. Finally, conclusions relating to
observations of the distribution of achievement and fore-
closure status will be set forth.

Concerning the shift from diffusion to moratorium, the
analysis of the first and second hypotheses provided the

following information:

1) There was a significantly higher proportion of
ninth grade females in moratorium than in
diffusion.

2) There was a significantly higher proportion of
twelfth grade females in moratorium than in
diffusion.

Thus, the expected clear-cut shift from diffusion in ninth
grade to moratorium in twelfth grade could not be validated.
However, the picture provided by the data was a fairly

complicated one. More female seniors were experiencing

moratorium than female freshmen and more female freshmen

 

were experiencing diffusion than female seniors. However,
among both ninth and twelfth grade females, the majority

were categorized as moratorium. Among the ninth graders,

 

72

30% (n=8) were diffuse and 63% (n=17) were moratorium, while

 

among the twelfth graders only 4% (n=1) were diffuse and 88%

(n=22) were moratorium. Thus a moderate shift from dif-

 

fusion to moratorium was manifested but in a significantly
reduced magnitude than predicted. The predicted shift was
not present as the main trend in the comparison of the two
groups. The theoretically surprising main result was how
many ninth graders had already begun to entertain moratorium
issues.

There are several possible explanations for the early
appearance of moratorium. First, it is possible that the
sample was skewed in one of several ways. The sample itself
was voluntary, and thus subject to the biases of volunteer
populations. The sample also must be regarded as further
self-selective because of the small percentage of students
from the original volunteer group who actually participated.
The high refusal and no-show rate may have influenced the
composition of the sample.

It may also be that students in the sample developed
differently than the population at large. The main factor
affecting this would be the close proximity of the Harvard
and MIT communities. Both universities offer programs which
aim. to enhance academic and social development in. high
school students. Further, by the de facto presence both
schools seem to generate a high—powered competitiveness in
the school systems of many of the surrounding communities.

Thus, students in the sample may have been asked to confront

73

identity issues at an earlier age because of environmental
and social pressure.

A third possible sampling distortion may have arisen
from the procedure of removing from the sample all subjects
who answered positively the interview question, "Have you
ever seen a psychologist, psychiatrist or social worker for
therapy?" The the population may have been skewed in the
direction of "health”. However, only three (5%) of the
original fifty-five interviews were removed from the sample
for reasons of therapy. There is little likelihood that
such a small number would have significantly altered the
results of the study.

A third possible explanation for the high incidence of
moratorium among ninth grade females is that the criteria in
the scoring manual may not be sensitive to the differences
between early and later adolescence. One of the interview
raters noted on a number of her rating sheets that she felt
there might be an early moratorium category. She charac-
terized the category as one in which the student showed some
interest and thought in the areas queried, exhibited no
evidence of a struggle or crisis, and yet seemed somewhat,
but not exactly, diffuse. She further suggested that these
students seemed to live in homes where ideas needed neither
to be fixed nor challenged because they were viewed as part
of the domain of adults. Thus, the individuals did not seem
to be actively identifying with adult roles and choices.

This formulation suggests the existence of a commencement

74

stage in identity formation which is separate and distinct
from both diffusion and moratorium.

A fourth possible explanation for the unexpected early
appearance of moratorium may have to deal with the research
assumption that ninth graders were early adolescents. That
assumption may have been incorrect. It may well be, due to
early onset of menarche and earlier maturation among
females, that ninth graders were representative of
adolescents who had begun the process of identity formation
two years previous. Thus, the cross-sectional study might
have been better conducted using a comparison of seventh and
twelfth grade populations.

A fifth possible eXplanation for the unexpected
identity status results is related to the unexpected data on
ego strength among ninth graders. The analysis of the third
and fourth hypotheses provided the following information:

1) On the ego strength measure, the twelfth
grade females received significantly higher
scores than the ninth grade females.

2) On the ego strength measure, the ninth grade
female moratorium group scored significantly
higher than the ninth grade female diffusion
group.

Thus, as predicted, there was a higher degree of ego
strength manifested among twelfth graders than among ninth
graders. The ninth grade mean was 41.5 (raw score). The
twelfth grade mean was 46.1 (raw score). This comparison
suggests that the process of identity formation exercises

and builds ego strengths and promotes growth. Further, the

data seems to support the Eriksonian notion that the number

75

of previous stages which were well-resolved promotes
successful future development.

However, it had also been predicted that there would be
no correlation of ego strength to either of the two statuses
(diffusion and moratorium) in ninth grade girls. The
hypothesis was based on the assumption that at this starting
point in the process of identity formation, firm patterns
would not be established. Thus ego strength would appear to
be randomly distributed. This clearly was not the case.
Surprisingly, the ninth graders manifested a statistically
significant difference in the ego strength of each status.
The mean ego strength for ninth graders in the moratorium
status was 42.5 and 39.6 for ninth graders in the diffusion
status.

The data picture here, as with the previously discussed
findings on ninth grade identity status, is complicated.
The means for both statuses of ninth graders, as well as
their overall mean (41), fell into the low ego strength
range as defined by Duckworth and Duckworth (1975).
Specifically, Duckworth and Duckworth (1975) consider 55 or
above on the ES scale in high score and 45 or below a low
score. They describe individuals scoring from 30 to 45 in
the following mannner.

This person tends to have a poor self—concept, is

unable to face challenges at this time, and is

usually devastated by even minor setbacks. The
person needs ego building before he or she is able

to deal with problems. (Duckworth and Duckworth,
1975, p. 165)

76

In contrast, the overall ego strength mean for seniors was
46. Although just over the border from a "low" score,
Duckworth and Duckworth (1975) describe a different type of
person in the 45-60 range:

These people usually have enough ego strength to

deal with life's stress and minor setbacks. For a

collage student an ES score in the lower part of

this range (45-50) may indicate that he or she is

in a transient state (going either up or down) in

ego strength. (p. 165).

Thus, although there were statistical differences in
the ego strength scores for the ninth grade moratorium and
diffusion groups, these differences were not particularly
significant when interpreted with clinical criteria. In
contrast, if the clinical criteria are applied, the differ-
ence in ego strength scores between the freshmen and seniors
seem very important.

One possible way in which to explain the unpredicted
ego strength and identity status findings is to recast some
of the theoretical ideas pertaining to how the process of
identity formation starts. The assumption that the process
begins with diffusion may be mistaken. If a child has a
well developed self and firm ego development resulting in
operational ego strengths, the gradual integration of
moratorium-like questions in earlier years from teachers,
parents, and peers, may prepare him/her to deal with
moratorium issues in early adolescence in ahead-on manner.
In contrast, those children who have a poorly developed self

and poorly developed ego strengths may begin early

adolescence in a state of diffusion. It may also be

77

hypothesized that the most severely impaired of these
children would remain diffused throughout this period of
development and the rest of their lives. Further, these
individuals on the whole would manifest a significantly
higher frequency of psychopathology in the forms of
character disorder and psychosis in adulthood. In contrast,
however, the least impaired of the diffuse group might use
the period for growth. Thus, the diffuse status for these
individuals might be only a beginning point in the process

of working through their identity.

Implications For Future Research

The nature of the research described here was explora-
tory. Thus, one of the implicit purposes was to give
direction to future studies by examination of research
successes and failures, limitations and advantages. The
major successes of the study lie in 1) the choice to focus
on the relatively unstudied early adolescent. female
population and 2) the decision to frame identity formation
questions along Eriksonian theoretical criteria. Both of
these factors helped to yield some interesting tentative
conclusions about early adolescent development. The major
limitation of the research lie in the small sample, the
cross-sectional nature of the study and the inefficient
nature of the interview technique for research purposes. If

the sample for future research is to be expanded in number

78

and retested over time a fresh approach to the measurement
of identity status is indicated.

Thus there are three major implications for future
research. These involve 1) the need for a new approach to
the measurement of identity status which could facilitate
assessment of larger numbers of subjects, 2) the need to add
measures in future research which would evaluate the
development of self and certain personality features which
form the substrate for adolescent growth and 3) the need in
further studies to conduct longitudinal rather than cross-
sectional research in order to plot the course of develop-
ment with increased precision.

Concerning' the first implication, reports of both
interviewers and raters involved in this study indicate that
Marcia's instrument is limited in its ability to assess the
areas of an early adolescent's life which are particularly
significant to identity formation. The Identity Status
IntervieW’ presently measures three main areas: career,
religion, and politics. In the 1960's when the instrument
was developed, issues concerning ideology and politics were
very much in the forefront of the nation's consciousness.
Young people were active, vocal and well-informed on
ideological and political issues. In contrast, the 1980's
seem to be characterized by quiet and conservative youths
who are not seeking a national forum for social issues.
Certainly, youth still wrestle with identity. However,

adolescents would be better examined through exploration of

79

their thinking about the social and interpersonal aspects of
their lives. Specifically, vignettes and questions about
social situations and interpersonal dilemmas might
illuminate their style of setting priorities and managing
object relations.

In addition to the need for a fresh focus for measure-
ment, there is also a need for a new format. If further
research is to yield conclusions which are generalizable to
the adolescent population at large a more efficient instru-
ment must be developed. A paper and pencil self-report test
measuring identity status would meet this need.

The final implications concerns the need for additional
personality and cognitive measures in future studies. With
high school students, the use the full MMPI, Loevinger's Ego
Strength Scale and a measure of intelligence would yield a
fuller picture of the factors effecting the style of
identity formation noted in a subject.

Finally the third implication regards the design of
future studies. Although a cross-sectional pilot study such
as this has yielded some valuable information, a more clear
delineation of the vicissitudes of the developmental process
would be obtained through a long-range study of junior and
senior high school students. Examination of the stability
of the statuses over time would determine 1) whether some
statuses were transitory and natural progressive steps and
2) whether certain types of individuals "get stuck" in

particular statuses for long periods of time.

.3 L AW'.

80

In conclusion, the research presented here was explora—
tory in nature. It may be that early adolescent populations
may not conform strictly to Erikson's theory of identity
formation. However, further research is indicated to test
this possibility. In regards to future research, the
results of the study also yielded some implications.
Further study of identity formation in early adolescence
would be best undertaken with a more efficient instrument
for the measurement of identity status and personality
factors ‘with. a larger sample available for longitudinal

retesting.

 

81

APPENDICES

82

APPENDIX A

FORM FOR

IDENTITY STATUS INTERVIEW

Introduction

 

Now let me see if I have the correct information.

Name

Address

 

 

Phone ID?

 

Date of Birth

Grade

 

Have you ever seen a psychologist, psychiatrist or social
worker for therapy?

Who is in your family?
Name Age

Mother

 

 

Father

 

 

Brothers

 

 

 

 

Sisters

 

 

 

 

What is the approximate family income?

 

How long have your parents been married?

 

(If divorced, how old were you when they were divorced? )

5‘

84

Introduction (continued) I.D.#

 

Did you go to elementary and middle school in Belmont?
(Circle one)

Yes N2
Which elementary school did Where did you go to elemen-
you attend? tary school?

 

 

(School and town)

And you went to Chenery And which middle school did
Middle School? you attend?

 

 

(School and town)

 

 

Was it hard to move up to ‘ Was it hard to move up to
high school? school?
Why? Why?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are you planning to go to college?

 

Why?

 

 

 

 

Did your father go to college?

 

What does he do now?

85

Introduction (continued)

 

 

 

 

Did your mother go to college?

 

What does she do now?

 

 

 

to: :m... .,_._...e

Occupation I.D.#

 

What would you like to do as a job when you finish school?

 

 

‘0

When did you decide on

 

 

 

 

Did you consider anything else?

 

 

 

 

'0

What seems most attractive about

 

 

 

 

 

Most parents have plans for their children, things they'd
like them to go into or do -- did or do yours have any plans_
like that for you?

 

 

 

 

87

Occupation (continued) I.D.#

 

How do your folks feel about your plans now?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How willing do you think you'd be to change this is some-
tliing better came along? (If S responds "What do you mean
by better?") Well, what might be better in your terms?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Religion I.D.#

 

Do you have a particular religious affiliation or prefer-
ence?

 

 

 

How about your folks?

 

 

 

Have you ever been very active in Church?

 

 

 

 

 

How about now?

DO you get into many religious discussions?

Religion (continued)

89

I.D.#

 

How do your parents feel about your beliefs now?

 

 

 

Are yours any different from theirs?

 

 

Was there any time when
religious beliefs?

When ?

you came to

doubt any of

your

 

How did it happen?

 

 

 

90

Re 1 igion (continued)

How did you resolve your questions?

I.D.#

 

 

 

 

 

 

How are things for you now?

 

 

 

Polltics I.D.#

 

Do you have any particular political preference?

 

 

 

How about your parents?

 

 

 

EVer take any kind of political action -- join groups, write
letters,

. participate in demonstrations -- anything at all
like that?

Tell me about it.

Any issues you feel pretty strongly about?

92
I.D.#

 

Politics (continued)
Any particular time when you decided on your political

beliefs?

 

 

What did you think of the past Presidential election?

 

 

 

That is my last question. Thank you for your cooperation.

93

MANUAL

IDENTITY STATUS TAPES

94

The main objective of rating each interview is to
locate the individual in one of four "identity statuses,”
each status being a mode of coping with the identity
crisis -- a particular life crisis faced by older adoles-
cents in our culture. Elements in this crisis include
deciding upon and committing oneself to what one is "to be"
in terms of an occupation, as well as formulating and taking
aetion on what one "believes” in terms of an ideology. In a
mOre formal sense, the achievement of ego identity involves
the synthesis of childhood identifications in the indivi-
d\lal's own terms, so that he establishes a reciprocal
relationship with his society and maintains a feeling of
Continuity between himself and his past. Elaborating
further, childhood can be viewed as a period when society
Provides the materially and emotionally nutritive milieu for
Survival of the almost wholly dependent child. Adulthood
involved a shift in responsibility, so that the individual
is expected to contribute to the previously nurturant
environment in a more mutual relationship. Adolescence, in
Particular, late adolescence, is the period during which
this shift takes place. The achievement of an ego identity
at, this time represents the reformulation of all that the
individual was into the core of what he is to be.

The four identity statuses are: Identity Achievement,
Moratorium, Foreclosure, and Identity Diffusion.

The two referents for determining Identity Status are

"crisis" and ”commitment" in the areas of occupation and

:i ”u.
l.

..l‘ “ire-sun. - ‘1‘ u-

95

ideology (religion and politics). The terms, crisis, was
chosen less for its sense of immediacy than for its connota-
tion of struggle, or more accurately, of a period of deci-
sion. Commitment refers to a certain unwaveringness of
choice, a reluctance to abandon a path set out upon.
Although these two referents are separately assessed, some
overlap occurs. For example, when a subject says that he
decided to go into industrial management in his junior year
as a result of scanning the college catalogue, one does not
get a sense of either an active selection among personally
meaningful alternatives (crisis) or an unswerving investment

in a course of action (commitment) .

I_nstructions for rating
The following is a description of the way in which
these two criteria are combined to yield an identity status

and a short sketch of how each type might appear.

1. Identity Achievement

Criteria: The individual has passed through a decision
Period or crisis and appears committed to his occupation
and/or ideology.

Sketch:

Occupation - He has seriously considered several

 

occupational choices or deviated from what his parents had
planned for him. He is reluctant to switch fields and seems

to think of himself as a teacher, engineer, etc. (Being a

" “m “’3‘ ”731'

‘1‘! ‘ .n c

96

something meaning the difference between "taking courses in
education" and seeing oneself as "a teacher'.) Although his
ultimate choice may be a variation of the parental wishes,
he seems to have experienced a crisis period and made a
resolution on his own terms.

1. Has tried business -- focused on general
medical profession - tried dentistry, tried
pharmacy —- now in optometry. Likes it because
it's in the area of helping people medically and
has variety. (willing to change?) ”I really like
what I'm doing. I have too much investment in it
now to do anything else."

2. Came from farm background and likes
farming, but being a farmer not too interesting of
feasible. Decided to go into agricultural econ-—
omics which is sort of an over-all business
manager for farmers. Somewhat defensive about
farming as a viable career.

3. When first went to college felt no sense
of purpose. Left and joined the Army. Came back
with renewed interest. Finds present choice
interesting and would be willing to change only
routine functions, not the general area.

4. Father was a farmer and wanted him to be

one: mother and townspeople wanted him to be a
minister: he decided to be a veterinarian. ”I
would rather have my DVM than a Ph.D. in any-
thing."

Religion - He appears to have gone through a
iPeriod of doubt -- either of past belief or unbelief -- with
a resulting re-evaluation of faith and commitment to some
action (church-going, religious discussions, etc.). Whether
he ends up as religious or not religious (in the conven-
tional sense) is not important -- only that he seems to have

rethought childhood concepts and achieved a resolution that

leaves him free to act.

' “a .. ”than '

.—
.r
‘.

97

1. Gotten further away from religion. At
one time, 10-11 years old, wanted to be a rabbi.
Goes to Hillel sometimes now. Disputes religious
questions with Christian friends -- tried to
convert a Roman Catholic nurse.

2. Went through a period of rejecting
father's religion. Period of atheism followed
disillusionment with a God that would permit an
evil world. Resolved by deciding that amount of
good balanced evil. Is active in church and plans
to raise his children in it.

3. Parents were fundamentalists: they think
a man shouldn't explore space. He's more liberal,

thinks they're old-fashioned —- doesn't like
denominational splits. Active in church.

Politics - The presence of his crisis period is
;probably more difficult to ascertain her than in the other
'tvm> areas. He shows some difference from ihis parents'
Exolitical opinions: for example, he may see himself as more
liberal than they are. Evidence of commitment is usually
seen in the affective nature of his pronouncements, his
1:endency to dispute political questions with others, and any
Exolitical action-taking whatsoever.

1. No affiliation with any one party.
Argues with parents about particular candidates
and issues.

2. Period in Army angered him at being given
things and being reacted to according to group
membership rather than as an individual. Attrac-
ted to the individualism of conservatism and is

anti-social welfare. Applies principles learned
in college classes about human nature to his

political beliefs.

General Comment - He seems generally able to "make

 

it." Particularly, he does not appear as if he would be

overwhelmed by sudden shifts in environment or by unexpected

98

burdens of responsibility. He also seems to be forming some
solid interpersonal commitments -- e.g., marriage, engage-

ment , etc .

2. Moratorium

Criteria: The individual is presently in a crisis
period -- trying to make up his mind. Commitments are
likely to be vague and general. An important quality here
is a sense of active struggle among alternatives.

Sketch:

Occupation - He is dealing with issues often

 

described as "adolescent." He is concerned less with
preparing for a specific career than with choosing that
career. His parents' plans are still important to him, and
he must somehow achieve a compromise among them, society's
tiemends, and his own capabilities. It is not that he feels
totally bewildered and all at sea, but that he is vitally
concerned and somewhat preoccupied with resolving what at
‘times seem to be unresolvable questions.

1. "Other people think I'm jolly and free-
lancing. Inside, I'm a big know. I'd just like
some peace and quiet.” "The future seems better
than the past, though." ”I'm not so concerned
about what people think, and I can control by
temper better.” Majoring in Speech, wants to work
for degree in Psychology and Sociology while in
Army. In general, wants to do something to help
people.

2. Has considered rabbinate, law, and
teaching. Present major is philosophy and reli-
gion. Thinks now that he wants to teach --

 

99

struggling with parents' demands that he choose a
career more financially rewarding.

3. Chemistry -- physics --> biology' major.

Considers teaching high school and then going into
industry. Also in back of his mind is the minis-
try -- still considering it. Seems to be an
idealist vs. economic conflict. "I can go into
teaching, industrial chemistry, the ndnistry. I
can see myself in any of those three fields."

Religion - He seems to be dealing with fundamental

religious questions, not just mere "shopping around" among

denominations.

1. Doubts existence of God and wonders

whether there is a Supreme Being. Scares him when
he thinks about it, but he still does. Has
tentatively decided there is a God.

2. Articulates pseudo-solution to science-

religion conflict by deciding that "what I believe
and what I study are two different things -— just
keep them separate."

Politics - Although he is in doubt about political

and religious commitment, he seems dissatisfied with the

doubt and is trying to effect a resolution.

1. Leans towards Democrats -- still votes

for the best man. Maybe later he'll turn toward
Republicans.

2. "I just want to define myself in terms of

reactions against things." "Sometimes the whole
political realm seems sort of futile.

but

3. Confused about politics. Is a Democrat,
has heard about Conservatism and is ques-

tioning it. But then Rhodes disenchants him.
Doesn't really know.

General Comments - Some subjects may show two or

three different identity statuses for one of the main areas.

That is,

occupational choice may have elements of Identity

I.’ 'szfi
.L_.__

4‘ .WH‘A v.1? W“ :L ‘

100

Achievement, Moratorium, and Foreclosure. Although these
cases are rare, when one status does not predominate, a
scoring of Moratorium is given. At his worst, a Moratorium
is paralyzed, unable to act decisively in one way or anoth-
er -- not because of a lack of commitment, but because of

equal and opposite commitment.

3. Foreclosure

 

Criteria: The individual does not seem to have passed
'through any real decision period, but, nevertheless, appears
ccmmdtted to occupation and/or ideology. In this case, his
(choices very likely coincide with those of parents or parent
surrogates whom he does not seriously question.

Sketch:

Occupation - It is difficult to distinguish where

 

liis parents' goals for him leave off and when his begin. He
seems to have experienced either no choice period, or only
lorief and inconsequential ones. He is becoming what others
have influenced him or intended him to become as a child.
I11 addition, all of this seems ego-syntonic. Childhood
indentification figures ("like my father,” "like my mother,"
etc.) keep cropping up in the interview.
1. "I'm not in any mood to leave home. I'm
not tied to my mother's apronstrings, but all my
friends are there." Wants to go into a large
corporation where "they'll run me through training
and tell me how they want things done." Is also

considering being a fireman like father was. Went
home every weekend through college and maintained

:3

‘ ._"_._

:--._cn—- AMA-I“—

, dug-urn. .
-. '.
.9

101

membership in social groups there (e.g., Kiwanis,
Ashville Fire Dept.).

2. Father was a farmer, he'll be a farmer.
"I plan to go back and help dad farm.” Took
agriculture at college because "that's all I
knew.” Although he gave some consideration to
other fields, ”farming was always at the top of
the list.” "I was brought up like my family
was -- I was with them so long I just stayed that
way."

Religion - His faith (or lack of it) is virtually

"the faith of his fathers (or mothers, as the case may be)

living still.” College experiences serve only as confirma-

tion of childhood belief. Dissonance seems absent, and he

participates in religious or anti-religious activities.

1. Although in science, sees no conflict
with religion. "Just helps strengthen the belief
I grew up with." Goes to church several times a
week.

2. Parents were Lutheran and so is he. No
doubting of religion during college. Got a girl
pregnant and prayed -- everything turned out all
right. "Hand of God was there: I'm not smart
enough to figure it all out, but I believe.”

3. "Same as my parents." (any doubts?) "My
beliefs are the same as they were -- only stronger
since I've been out in the world.

4. Religion is the same as parents. "Maybe
it's a habit with me, I don't know." "I've
thought a lot and you meet all kinds of people
here. But I really haven't changed any basic
beliefs. Just have more understanding than I did
before." "I plan to bring my children up in the
church -- just the way my dad did with me."

Politics — Again, he is what his parents are

little or no personal stamp of his own.

1. His parents were Republican and so is he.
"There was a lot of influence from my parents.”

with

c.‘ .u-.‘.-4s..a ‘I w
I

40...:

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,.

102

2. He and parents are Republican. "I guess
it stems from the family. Both Mom and Pop are
Republicans."

3. "I'm a Democrat and so are they
(parents) -- so that's why, I guess."

4. Referring to him and parents both being
Republican: ”You still pull that way, Republican,
if your parents are that way. You feel like it's
where you should be.

General Comment - Because of his commitment and

 

apparent self-assuredness, he appears similar to the Iden-
tity Achievement, although he may be characterized by a
certain rigidity. One feels that if he were place in a
saituation where parental values were non-functional he would
soon be greatly at a loss. In many instances, only a
situation of severe ego stress would differentiate him from
Identity Achievement. However, his hallmark is the notable
absence of decision period. His plans may include returning

to his hometown and continuing life there.

4. Identity Diffusion

Criteria: The individual has either experienced no
crisis or has passed through a crisis -- in either case,
there is little, if any, commitment.

Sketch: There appear to be two types of Diffusion. One
is a pre-crisis lack of commitment. The individual might
have been a Foreclosure if strong enough parental values has
been established. However, it is likely that the parental

attitude was one of "it's up to you; we don't care what you

.
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\

103

do." Under the guise of democratic child-rearing, the
parents have really provided no consistent structure which
could be a guide for the growing individual and later on, an
image against which to compare himself. Because he never
really w_a_§ anything, it is almost impossible for him to
conceive of himself as M anything. The problems that
are so immediate and self-consuming for the Moratorium never
really occur to this "pre-crisis Diffuse" person.

The second type of Diffuse is the ”post—crisis Diffuse”
‘who seems committed to a lack of commitment. This indivi-
<iual actively seeks to avoid entangling alliances: his
inotto: "Play the field.” No area of potential gratification
:is really relinquished: all things are possible, and must be
kept that way. 7 The main element that both pre- and
post-crisis Diffuse persons have in common is a lack of

commitment .

Occupation - No one occupational choice is really

 

decided up, nor is there much real concern about it (as
«contrasted with the Moratorium). There is sometimes little
conception of what a person in the stated preferred occupa-
tion does in a day-to-day routine. The occupation would be
readily disposed of should opportunities arise elsewhere.
There is sometimes an "external" orientation that. what
twppens to the individual is seens as a result of luck or
fate.

1. Has considered priesthood, law, and
teaching math. Sees himself as "bouncing around”

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104

from one thing to another. Language is strange
and answers oblique. Takes roles of others and
speaks to himself during interview in admonishing
tones as they would speak to him. Although there
is some closure on choice of teaching, the whole
interview is pretty bizarre. E.g., regarding
leaving seminary: "It was shown to me not to be my
vocation. Some people have desire, some don't. I
didn't.”

2. Going into optometry —— likes it because
there's not too much work, make money at it, and
doesn't take too long to study for it. If some-
thing better comes along, he'd change ”quite
easily.”

3. Claims greater maturity after having
flunked out of school and gone to service. Major
in marketing, interested in business, also in
being a golf pro. Main focus of interest in life
is playing golf. Emphasis not on what his father
wants him to "be" but on what his father ives
him. "Very apf'r to give up occupational chOice
for something better.

4. Major is engineering. In response to
”willingness to change?”: ”Oh, I can change. I
want to travel, want to try a lot of things, don't
want to get stuck behind a drawing board. Want a.
degree mainly as an 'in' to production or some-
thing else. Don't want to get tied down."

Religion - He is either uninterested in religious
matters or takes a smorgasbord approach, in which one
r'Eeligion faith is as good as any other and he is not averse
11C) sampling from all. The subject will sometimes state his
denomination as being the same as his parents, yet shows
1-5:ttle commitment to it. In this case, the identity status
11613 elements of both Foreclosure and Diffusion.

1. ”Don't believe in any one particular

religion. All of them have something to offer, I

guess. I like to look around a little and see
what each as to offer."

on.
- .

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105

2. "Haven't pickle one religion. Not
interested in any. Guess it's all right for some
people. Just don't care a whole lot about it."

Politics - Both political and social interest are

low. Little idea or concern where he stands vis a vis
scxdety, as if the world went its way and he went with his

little intercourse between the two.

1. ”Politics just doesn't interest me.”
Doesn't vote. Doesn't discuss politics at home.
Would probably vote for Kennedy.

2. No interest. Never discusses it with
parents. “Not much concerned with politics."
Unable, in the interview to verbalize a choice
between Rockefeller and Kennedy.

General Cements - At his worst, a Diffuse exhi-

bits the disorganized thought processes, disturbed object

relations, and loosened ego boundaries associated with

schizophrenia .

Summary

This, then, is the plan for rating the interviews.
There are three main areas covered: occupation, religion,
and politics. The latter two are combined to yield
ideology. Each area is assessed according to two criteria;
the presence or absence of a crisis period, and the degree
of commitment. According to the subject's standing on these
two criteria, he is to be assigned to one of the four

catagories of identity status for each of the three main

areas.

uni...“

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106

A sample of a complete interview rating is on the last
page of the manual.

There are no rigid criteria for combining the three
areas to yield an overall identity status. Many times the
rater will get a general impression from the interview that
would not strictly coincide with an arithmetic sum of the
three areas: these ”hunches" are valuable and should not
necessarily be abandoned for the sake of false rigor. Of
course, in most cases, the final identity status will
directly reflect the sum of the ratings of the area. It
should be clear that clinical judgment is to be exercised,

not suspended .

 

107

Subject #

 

IDENTITY STATUS - INTERVIEW RATING SHEET

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Occupation : Foreclosure
Re ligion: Foreclosure-Diffusion
Ideology: Foreclosure -

Politics: Identity Achieve. - Foreclosure

IDENTITY STATUS: Foreclosure i
I
g;

Comments:

Use this space for not-taking and demurrers.

108

 

 

APPENDIX B

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10.

11.

12.

13.
14.

15.
16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22

109

I have a good appetite.
I have diarrhea once a month or more.

At times I have fits of laughing and crying that I
cannot control.

I find it very hard to keep my mind on a task or job.
I have had very peculiar and strange experiences.

I have a cough most of the time.

I seldom worry about my health.

My sleep is fitful and disturbed.

When I am with people I am bothered by hearing very
queer things.

I am in just as good physical health as most of my
friends.

Everything is turning out just like the prophets of the
Bible said it would.

Parts of my body often have feelings like burning,
tingling, crawling, or like "going to sleep."

I am easily downed in an argument.

I do many things which I regret afterwards (I regret
things more or more often than others seem to).

I go to church almost every week.

I have met problems so full of possibilities that I
have been unable to make up my mind about them.

Some people are so bossy that I feel like doing the
Opposite of what they request, even though I know they
are right.

I like collecting flowers or growing house plants.

I like to cook.

‘During the past few years I have been well most of the
time.

I have never had a fainting spell.

‘When I get bored I like to stir up some excitement.

23.
124.

255.

2&6.
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2MB.
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214.

355.

336,

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338.

39.
40.

41.
42.
43.

44.

45.

110

My hands have not become clumsy or awkward.
I feel weak all over much of the time.

I have had not difficulty in keeping my balance in
walking.

I like to flirt.

I believe my sins are unpardonable.

I frequently find myself worrying about something.
I like science.

I like to talk about sex.

I get mad easily and then get over it soon.

I brood a great deal.

I dream frequently about things that are best kept to
myself.

My way of doing things is apt to be misunderstood by
others.

I have had blank spells in which my activities were
interrupted and I did not know what was going on around
me.

I can be friendly with people who do things which I
consider wrong.

If I were an artist I would like to drawer flowers.

When I leave home I do not worry about whether the door
is locked and the windows closed.

At times I hears so well it bothers me.

Often I cross the street in order not to meet someone I
see.

I have strange and peculiar thoughts.
Sometimes I enjoy hurting persons I love.

Sometimes some unimportant thought will run through my
mind and bother me for days.

I am not afraid of fire.

I do not like to see women smoke.

46.

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63.
64.
65.
66.

67.

111

When someone says silly or ignorant things about
something I know about, I try to set him right.

I feel unable to tell anyone all about myself.

My plans have frequently seemed so full of difficulties
that I have had to give them up.

I would certainly enjoy beating a crook at his own
game.

I have had some very unusual religious experiences.

One or more members of my family is very nervous.

I am attracted by members of the opposite sex.

The man who had most to do with me when I was a child
(suCh as my father, stepfather, etc.) was very strict

with me.

Christ performed miracles suCh as changing water into
wine.

I pray several times every week.

I feel sympathetic towards people who tend to hang on
to their griefs and troubles.

I am afraid of finding myself in a closet or a small
closed place.

Dirt frightens or disgusts me.
I think Lincoln was greater than Washington.

In my home we have always had the ordinary necessities
(such as enough food, clothing, etc.)

I am made nervous by certain animals.

My skin seems to be usually sensitive to touch.

I feel tired a good deal of the time.

I never attend a sexy show if I can avoid it.

If I were an artist I would like to draw children.
I sometimes feel that I am about to go to pieces.

I have often been frightened in the middle of the
night.

112

68. I very much like horseback riding.

113

APPENDIX C

Wron-
.. 'l" 7. r

 

114

Consent form

I understand that as a participant in this research, I
will be asked to fill out a questionnaire and undergo a
half-hour structured interview. The procedure has been
explained clearly to me. I understand that there are
basically no potential risks in my involvement in this
research.

I freely consent to participate in this research. I
tinderstand that I am free to discontinue at any time without
recrimination. I also understand that all results will be
'treated.‘with. the strictest. confidentiality’ and *that the
subjects will remain anonymous. On request and within these
restrictions, general results will be made available to
subjects.

I also recognize that there may be no specific benefit
from participation in this research.

 

 

subject's signature date

I have read and understand the above statement. As a

parent, I hereby give my written consent to my daughter's
participation in this research.

 

 

parents' signature date

fit“ "fl“ " *‘T—wrr— :7: F3"!

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A .
——‘

115

Dear Student:

I am doing some psychological research involving high
school students. Specifically, I am interested in the
process of identity formation -- how a person develops a
clear sense of herself. I am particularly interested in
:rtudying young women because so little research has focused
on them.

I am asking you to be a part of this study. It will
'take about one hour of your time. In that hour, you will be
(asked to fill out a questionnaire and to answer some
questions in an interview. This will take place at the old
Code House -- now called CDI (Cognitive-Development Insti-
tute) on Concord Avenue (across from the Post Office)
outside of school time. For your time, you will be paid
$5.00.

If you are interested, please fill in the form below.
Filling this out will not commit you to the study. It will
only help me to get in contact with students who might like
to be in the study. In order to take part in this study,
you and your parent/s will need to sign a permission form.
A copy of this is attached.

Thanks.
Sincerely,
Barbara Gortych, M.A.
I am interested and would like to think about it/hear
more.

interested and would like to participate.

Name:

Address:

Phone:

Parent's last name (if different than yours):

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116

APPENDIX D

117

Protocol

Identity Status Interview
classified as
9th grade moratorium

9K3 Vt) ff? 5!) >KD or:

118

Are you planning to go to college?
Yes.

Why?
To further my education.

Did your father go to college?
Yes.

What does he do now?
He's a 766 administrator for public schools.

Did your mother go to college?
NO.

What does she do now?
Housewife

Occupation

 

50 >10

0

What would you like to do as a job when you finish
school?

I may go into music, but it may turn out that I want to
go to law school, but I definitely want a career.

When did you decide on music or law?
I change a lot. I keep changing what I want to do, but
probably this year.

Did you consider anything else?
Doctor.

What seems most attractive about music/law?
The idea of being in a symphony orchestra really
appealed to me. Law? I don't know.

Most parents have plans for their children, things
they'd like them to go into or do -- did or do yours
have any plans like that for you?

No, basically it's up to me. They've told me to be
whatever I want to be.

How do your folks feel about your plans now?

Well, they don't think there's much of a future in
music -- not because I'm bad but because there's not
much money in it. But they think its fine that I want
to do what appeals to me.

How willing do you think you'd be to change this is
something better came along? (If S responds "What do
you mean by better?") Well, what might be better in
your terms?

Very willing.

119

Religion

Q: Do you have a particular religious affiliation or
preference?

: Mormons.
Q: How about your folks?
A: My mother is Mormon, my father is Catholic.
: Have you ever been very active in Church?
A: Yes, Youth Group. I usually go every Sunday.
: How about now?
: Same.
Q: Do you get into many religious discussions?
: No, not really.

Q: How do your parents feel about your beliefs now?

A: It's up to me. It's my choice.

Q: Are yours any different from theirs?

A: I don't think so.

Q: Was there any time when you came to doubt any of your
religious beliefs?

A: Yeah.

Q: When?

A: I don't know. I guess last year.

Q: How did it happen?

A: Just sort of out of the blue. I guess.

Q: How did you resolve your questions?

A: I don't know if they really are resolved or anything.

Q: How are things for you now?

A: Fine.

Politics

Q: Do you have any particular political preference?

A: No, I don't want to get involved.

Q: How about your parents?

A: Conservatives.

Q: Ever take any kind of political action -- join groups,
write letters, participate in demonstrations -- any-
thing at all like that?

A: No.

Inn?

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120

Tell me about it.

Any issues you feel pretty strongly about?
NO.

Any particular time when you decided on your political
beliefs?
N/A

What did you think of the past Presidential election?
I'm happy that Reagan won I guess. I think he's doing
a pretty good job.

121

Protocol

Identity Status Interview
classified as
9th grade diffusion

l...‘:\.3‘fl

 

3’10 >10

3’0 {#30 3’0 3’0

122

Are you planning to go to college?
Not that I know of.

Why?
Eventually, not right after I get out of High School.
I still don't know what I want to do.

Did your father go to college?
Yeah. He's going now for law enforcement.

What does he do now?
He's a policeman.

Did your mother go to college?
Yeah, I think so.

What does she do now?
She works for Kelly service. (Temp. sec)

Occupation

 

What would you like to do as a job when you finish
school?
I don't know.

When did you decide on ---?
N/A

Did you consider anything else?
N/A

What seems most attractive about ---?
N/A

Most parents have plans for their’ children, things
they'd like them to go into or do -— did or do yours
have any plans like that for you?

At one time, Mom wanted me to become some sort of
Doctor or Dental hygenist like she was. My grandmother
wants me to be a dietitian -- Just suggestions, not
"you have to do this."

How do your folks feel about your plans (or lack of)
now?

Take your time. Do what you want to do. Just to be
happy with what I'm doin'.

How willing do you think you'd be to change this is
something better came along? (If S responds "What do
you mean by better?") Well, what might be better in
your terms?

N/A

123

Religion

0:

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3’0 :vo >0 9'0

Do you have a particular religious affiliation or
preference?
Catholic.

How about your folks?
Catholic.

Have you ever been very active in Church?
No (laughs) No CYO. Just go to Church every week.

How about now?
(As above.)

Do you get into many religious discussions?
NO.

How do your parents feel about your beliefs now?

They'd like to see me go into Confirmation. But I
don't think there's anything to that. Just to stay wit
my religion.

Are yours any different from theirs?
NO.

Was there any time when you came to doubt any of your
religious beliefs?
No.

When?
N/A

How did it happen?
N/A

How did you resolve your questions?
N/A

How are things for you now?
N/A

Politics

Q:
A:

Do you have any particular political preference?
What's my mo —- Democratic I think -- whatever she is.
What's Reagan?

How about your parents?
Dad? Same as mom. I don't know.

1.5 m1
.. .‘
i b;-

 

124

Ever take any kind of political action -- join groups,
write letters, participate in demonstrations -- any-
thing at all like that?

NO.

Tell me about it.

Any issues you feel pretty strongly about?
No.

Any particular time when you decided on your political
beliefs?
N/A

What did you think of the past Presidential election?
Yeah? He's the president I liked when he was elected.
I don't now.

125

Protocol

Identity Status Interview
classified as
9th grade foreclosure

126

Are you planning to go to college?

 

Q:

A: Yes.

Q: Why?

A: So I can become either a nursery school teacher or have

my own daycare.

Q: Did your father go to college?

A: No.

Q: What does he do now?

A: Lineman for town of Belmont.

Q: Did your mother go to college?

A: Yes.

Q: What does she do now?

A: At home.

Occupation

Q: What would you like to do as a job when you finish
school?

A : Nursery School teacher.

Q: When did you decide on Nursery School teacher?

A: A few years ago.

Q: Did you consider anything else?

A: No.

Q: What seems most attractive about teaching nursery
school?

A: I like kids. I like to teach them things I know that
they should know.

03 Most parents have plans for their children, things
they'd like them to go into or do -- did or do yours
have any plans like that for you?

A: In a way -- my mother thinks I do good with kids, so I
should teach elementary school or something.

2: How do your folks feel about your plans now?

° Good.
3 How willing do you think you'd be to change this is
something better came along? (If S responds ”What do
You mean by better?") Well, what might be better In
A- Your terms?

Not really very willing.

W

 

127

Do you have a particular religious affiliation or

preference?
Catholic -- but on Easter we got to the Protestant

 

A:
church sometimes because my father's protestant.

Q: How about your folks?

A: Father - protestant
Mother - Catholic

Q: Have you ever been very active in Church?

A: No.

Q: How about now?

A: No.

Q: Do you get into many religious discussions?

A: No.

Q: How do your parents feel about your beliefs now?

A: My mother thinks she shouldn't force me into reli-
gion -- if I really want it, I can seek it.

Q: Are yours any different from theirs?

A: No.

Q: Was there any time when you came to doubt any of your
religious beliefs?

A: No.

Q: When?

A: N/A

0: How did it happen?

A: N/A

0: How did you resolve your questions?

A: N/A

03 How are things for you now?

A: Fine.

Elitics

23 3° YOU have any particular political preference?

. o.
2' How about your parents?
° My father, sort of -- he votes.

Q: Ever take any kind of political action -- join groups,
Write letters, participate in demonstrations -- any-

A: thing at all like that?

Yeah .

 

?(3

DID an 5? 5‘3

128

Tell me about it.
Helped my father's friend hand out leaflets -- I forget

what office he was running for.

Any issues you feel pretty strongly about?
NO.

Any particular time when you decided on your political
beliefs?
N/A

What did you think of the past Presidential election?
I like Reagan.

 

129

Protocol

Identity Status Interview
'classified as 12th grade moratorium

 

>0 >0

>0 >0 >0 >0

130

Are you planning to go to college?
Yes.

Why?
I know that I'd like to have a career but I don't know
what it's going to be at this point.

Did your father go to college?
Yes.

What does he do now?
Professor.

Did your mother go to college?
Yes.

What does she do now?
Lawyer (volunteer right now).

Occupation

 

Q:

What would you like to do as a job when you finish
school?
I like science, particularly Chemistry —- and we went
to .Asia last summer and. I :really liked. the people
there, so if I could combine Science and cultural
studies.

When did you decide on Science?
Sophomore year.

Did you consider anything else?
Yes.

What seems most attractive about Science & Cultural
Studies?

Seems never ending, new things to find out, never being
stuck with one thing, bored.

Most. parents have jplans for their children, things
they'd like them to go into or do -- did or do yours
have any plans like that for you?

Nothing specific. I know they wanted me to go to
college.

How do your folks feel about your plans now?
They're pretty happy even though I didn't decide to go
to their alma mater.

How willing do you think you'd be to change this is
something better came along? (If S responds "What do
you mean by better?") Well, what might be better in
your terms?

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131

A: I guess it depends on what ”better" meant. If it meant
more money, that wouldn't make any difference. If it
meant more interesting, I'd be willing. I don't have
any specific plans now.

Religion
0: Do you have a particular religious affiliation or
preference?
: No.
Q: How about your folks?
A: Not really. My father was Unitarian as a child.
Q: Have you ever been very active in Church?
A: No.
Q: How about now?
A: No.
Q: Do you get into many religious discussions?
A: Sometimes with my family -- religion in general.
Q: How do your parents feel about your beliefs now?
A: I think my beliefs are more my mothers. I don't think

my father's upset because he's not too strongly reli-
gious himself.

Q: Are yours any different from theirs?

A: Yes, I think so, but I'm not exactly sure what their
beliefs are so I can't really say.

Q: Was there any time when you came to doubt any of your
religious beliefs?

A: Sometimes.

Q: When?

A: Like in a baseball game, when you wanted to win or
something like that (laughs).

Q: How did it happen?

A: N/A

0: How did you resolve your questions?

A: N/A

Q: How are things for you now?

A: Fine -- no big conflict.

Politics

0: Do you have any particular political preference?

 

>0 >0

0

>0

132

Tends toward liberal side by not radically so. I like
to know all the facts on a subject before I make a
decision.

How about your parents?

My mother is liberal -- they both are Democrats. My
mother's more liberal than my father. He's a little on
the conservative side.

Ever take any kind of political action -- join groups,
write letters, participate in demonstrations -- any-
thing at all like that?

Not really. I've gone to see debates -- gubnatorial
but never really fought for a cause.

Tell me about it.
N/A

Any issues you feel pretty strongly about?

Gun control, birth control, environmental problems, our
relations w/Russia. I feel strongly about a lot of
things but I'm not really sure about them. What else,
cutting down on education.

Any particular time when you decided on your political
beliefs?

Not really. We've always discussed it in our family
and at school. Not really a specific time but more of
a building up.

What did you think of the past Presidential election?
I wasn't happy with it. I thought the choices were
rather limited, too.

 

 

133

Protocol

Identity Status Interview
classified as
12th grade diffusion

>0 >0 >0 >0 >0 >0

134

Are you planning to go to college?
Yes

Why?
Just to further education and get a better job

Did your father go to college?
Didn't finish

What does he do now?
Supervisor at Western Electric

Did your mother go to college?
NO

What does she do now?
Crossing guard (part time)

Occupation

 

What would you like to do as a job when you finish
school?
I don't really know. Something with business

When did you decide on ---?
Something with business. I'd say last year maybe

Did you consider anything else?
Not yet, no

What seems most attractive about ---?
The courses I've taken in school are w/numbers, it
just . . .

Most. parents have ‘plans for’ their' children, things
they'd like them to go into or do -- did or do yours
have any plans like that for you?

I think they want me to go to school and go from there
and see what I like to do

How do your folks feel about your plans now?
I think they're glad that I'm going to school

How willing do you think you'd be to change this is
something better came along? (If S responds "What do
you mean by better?") Well, what might be better in
your terms?

I don't know what might be better

 

 

 

135

Religion

Q: Do you have a particular religious affiliation or
preference?

: Catholic

Q: How about your folks?

A: Catholic

Q: Have you ever been very active in Church?

A: No

Q: How about now?

A: Not really, no

Q: Do you get into many religious discussions?

A: No

Q: How do your parents feel about your beliefs now?

A: Well, now that I'm 18 they'd like me to be Christian -—
or Catholic. But. if I *wanted to change religions
they'd support me

Q: Are yours any different from theirs?

A: No

Q: Was there any time when you came to doubt any of your
religious beliefs?

A: No

Q: When?

A:

Q: How did it happen?

A:

Q: How did you resolve your questions?

A:

Q: How are things for you now?

A: OK

Politics

Q: Do you have any particular political preference?

A: No

Q: How about your parents?

A: I don't think so

Q: Ever take any kind of political action -- join groups,
write letters, participate in demonstrations -- any-
thing at all like that?

A: No

——

 

:1
H

I _“_‘.'U'

 

>0 > 0 >0 >0

136

Tell me about it.

Any issues you feel pretty strongly about?
NO

Any particular time when you decided on your political
beliefs?
NO

What did you think of the past Presidential election?
Well, I didn't really want Reagan in there but . . .

 

 

137

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1‘. I f. Jui'~:.ani-L'
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138

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