The identity status of African Americans in middle adolescence: a reexamination of Watson and Protinsky (1991).
In contrast to earlier research, Watson and Protinsky (1991) found that African American students did not experience identity foreclosure to a greater extent than did their Caucasian peers. Watson and Protinsky, however, examined only ideological identity. The purpose of the present study was to extend this line of research by examining identity development in the interpersonal domain as well as the ideological domain. Forty-eight African American students completed a revised version of the Extended Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status (EOM-EIS II). Supporting the conclusions of Watson and Protinsky, the results showed that few of the African American students were foreclosed. Instead, most of the students were in moratorium; that is, they were engaged in the identity-exploration process. Results for the interpersonal domain were similar to those for the ideological domain.
Forbes
S
S
University of Florida, Gainesville 32611, USA.
Ashton
P
P
D000293:Adolescent; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007062:Identification, Psychological; D008297:Male; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent