title: Vocational identity and psychological adjustment: a study in French adolescents and emerging adults.
abstract: The aim of the present research was to study vocational identity in French adolescent and emerging adult students by using a French adaptation of the Vocational Identity Status Assessment (VISA), and to analyze the links between vocational identity formation and negative and positive psychological adjustment. Participants were 1077 French students who completed self-report scales about vocational identity, depression and satisfaction with life. The French version of the VISA showed good psychometric properties and six identity statuses were derived by means of cluster analysis: achievement, foreclosure, moratorium, searching moratorium, diffused diffusion and carefree diffusion. The main findings show that diffused diffusion and moratorium represent the dark sides of identity because of their negative psychological adjustment, and that the two processes of reconsideration of commitment were differently associated with psychological adjustment. These findings demonstrate that clinical interventions should be adapted to the individual's identity profile.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Psychology EA 4139, Univ. Bordeaux, France. Electronic address: lyda.lannegrand@u-bordeaux.fr.
authors.forename: Lyda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lannegrand-Willems
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Psychology EA 4139, Univ. Bordeaux, France.
authors.forename: Cyrille
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Perchec
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Psychology EA 4139, Univ. Bordeaux, France.
authors.forename: Clotilde
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marchal
mesh_terms: D000124:Achievement; D000293:Adolescent; D002321:Career Choice; D000066498:Emotional Adjustment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011594:Psychometrics; D012649:Self Concept; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Identity processes; Identity statuses; Psychological adjustment; VISA; Vocational identity