Testing a process-oriented model of identity development in South Korean young adults

The five-dimensional process-oriented model of identity development delineates the formation and evaluation cycles of identity and includes ruminative exploration. In South Korea, individualistic and collectivistic cultures coexist, and such culture may influence the identity development process of young adults. However, identity development in Korean young adults has not been studied abundantly. In particular, the five-dimensional model of identity has never been used to study a Korean sample. In the present study, we tested the applicability of the five-dimensional model of identity with South Korean young adults between ages 19 and 25 (N = 548; M_age = 22.72; SD_age = 1.93; 44.2% men). Specifically, we examined the measurement model of the Dimensions of Identity Development Scale (DIDS) and nomological net of the identity dimensions. Further, we conducted a cluster analysis to derive identity statuses. Results indicated that the five-factor model of the DIDS could be applied in our sample. The identity dimensions were related to each other and with external variables in ways that were mostly consistent with previous studies. Exploration in breadth and exploration in depth’s relations with commitment making, identification with commitment, and psychosocial functioning, which have not been consistent in previous studies, were positive. Finally, we identified five identity status clusters that resembled statuses identified in previous studies, but further research would be needed to ensure comparability.