A multi-dimensional measure of vocational identity status.

A multi-dimensional measure of vocational identity status.

Porfeli Erik J; Lee Bora; Vondracek Fred W; Weigold Ingrid K

Journal of Adolescence

2011

2011-10

Establishing a worker identity is among the most central aspects of the transition from adolescence to adulthood. Despite its importance, few measures with acceptable psychometric and conceptual characteristics exist to assess vocational identity statuses. This study reports the development and evaluation of the Vocational Identity Status Assessment (VISA), which is derived from established conceptual models and includes career exploration, commitment, and reconsideration dimensions. Results show that the VISA exhibited metric invariance across a high school and university sample. Cluster analyses demonstrated that the VISA consistently resolved six identity statuses across the two samples, supporting the previously established achieved, moratorium, foreclosed, and diffused statuses along with two additional statuses termed searching moratorium and undifferentiated. The identity statuses predicted differences in participants' work valences and well-being with the achieved and diffused statuses respectively exhibiting the most and least favorable characteristics. Implications, limitations, and suggestions for future research based upon these findings are offered.

*Career Choice; *Employment; Female; Humans; Male; Ohio; Psychometrics; Surveys and Questionnaires/*standards; Young Adult

Article information provided for research and reference use only. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).

853–871

5

34