成人期における自我同一性ステイタスの発達経路の分析

抄録

The purpose of this study was to investigate the developmental pathways of ego identity status in adulthood by analyzing the relationship among the adolescent identity status, developmental patterns of adult identity and the status in middle age. Method: A semi-structured interview was done to 22 men and women between 41-56 years old. Results: (1) Subjects were classified into the following 4 adolescent identity statuses: Identity Achiever 8, Moratorium 5, Foreclosure 6 and Pre-crisis Diffusion 3. 63.6% of their statuses had changed in middle age.(2) The following 3 points were clarified referring to the developmental pathways of adult identity status: 1) The change probability of identity status in adulthood was considered high. Adolescent statuses had been kept until their late 30's, and those statuses were apt to change in middle age. 2) Those who made active reorganization of identity by the experience of middle age crisis could achieve more matured identity status. 3) The pathways of status-change found through this study proved the model of the sequential patterns of ego identity development by Waterman (1982).