Ümit Morsünbül

National and Gender Measurement Invariance of the Utrecht-Management of Identity Commitments Scale (U-MICS) : A 10-Nation Study With University Students

The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Utrecht-Management of Identity Commitments Scale (U-MICS), a self-report measure aimed at assessing identity processes of commitment, in-depth exploration, and reconsideration of commitment. We tested its factor structure in university students from a large array of cultural contexts, including 10 nations located in Europe (i.e., Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, and Switzerland), Middle East (i.e., Turkey), and Asia (i.e., China, Japan, and Taiwan). Furthermore, we tested national and gender measurement invariance. Participants were 6,118 (63.2% females) university students aged from 18 to 25 years (Mage = 20.91 years). Results indicated that the three-factor structure of the U-MICS fitted well in the total sample, in each national group, and in gender groups. Furthermore, national and gender measurement invariance were established. Thus, the U-MICS can be fruitfully applied to study identity in university students from various Western and non-Western contexts.

Brief report: The Utrecht-Management of Identity Commitments Scale (U-MICS) : Gender and age measurement invariance and convergent validity of the Turkish version

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the factor structure and convergent validity of the Turkish version of the Utrecht-Management of Identity Commitments Scale (U-MICS). Participants were 1201 (59.6% females) youth aged between 12 and 24 years (M(age) = 17.53 years, SD(age) = 3.25). Results indicated that the three-factor model consisting of commitment, in-depth exploration, and reconsideration of commitment provided a very good fit to the data and applied equally well to boys and girls as well as to three age groups (early adolescents, middle adolescents, and emerging adults). Significant relations between identity processes and self-concept clarity, personality, internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors, and parental relationships supported convergent validity. Thus, the Turkish version of U-MICS is a reliable tool for assessing identity in Turkish-speaking respondents.

The adaptation of the dimension of identity development scale into Turkish

Objective: In recent years, studies about identity development have focused on processes in identity development. The aim of this study was to adapt into Turkish the Dimensions of Identity Development Scale which measures processes in identity development into Turkish. Method: The Dimensions of Identity Development Scale was administered to 602 participants (322 females, 280 males) in total, aged between 18-23. To determine factor structure of the scale, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and for reliability, internal consistency analysis were performed. Correlations between identity development dimensions and score of the Satisfaction with Life Scale were evaluated for criterion validity testing. To determine identity status cluster analysis was performed. Results: Results of exploratory (explained variance 57.43%) and confirmatory factor analysis showed that the Dimensions of Identity Development Scale was valid. Correlations between the identity development dimensions and score of the Satisfaction with Life Scale were statistically significant. Internal consistency coefficients (commitment making 0.88, identification with commitment 0.87, exploration in breadth 0.84, exploration in depth 0.78, ruminative exploration 0.79) showed that the Dimensions of Identity Development Scale was reliable. In the cluster analysis, six identity status (achievement, foreclosure, moratorium, diffused diffusion, carefree diffusion, undifferentiated) were found. Conclusion: The Dimensions of Identity Development Scale is a valid and reliable instrument for the assessment of adolescent’s identity development.