Individuals establish their own identities throughout the life span through growth, maturity, and development in different areas. Marcia’s concepts of identity achievement, identity foreclosure, identity moratorium, and identity diffusion were created to better understand the evolution of ego identity and how individuals distinguish their shifting commitment to ideas during late adolescence (Marcia, 1966). The concepts that are associated with these parameters are important because they convey the realities of developing an identity that an adolescent will carry and build upon throughout his or her life (Marcia, 1966). For this discussion, I have selected the career and educational aspects of identity formation to understand my own trajectory and identity development which impacts my own decision-making and path through life.
Identity Achievement
I was born in Poland in 1970, began Kindergarten in 1976, attended elementary school from 1977-1985, and high school from 1985-1989. During elementary school and into high school, I slowly began to realize the career path that I wanted to pursue in nursing after recognizing that other careers might not be suited for me. This was my identity achievement period and enabled me to reaffirm my decision to enter nursing school in 1989. At the time, I believed that this was the best option for me because I wanted to help other people and provide care in their time of need. In some ways, I was in a position to make a decision on my own terms and did not have any pushback or resistance from family members at this stage. Therefore, my identity achievement was real and was solidified and I was proving myself as a good student with no learning difficulties that could hold me back at this stage.
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Identity Foreclosure
Between 1991 after graduation and up until 2005, I worked as a Registered Nurse in Poland and was promoted to a nursing manager for the operating room for two years. During this period, I enjoyed my role and was committed to the process; however, I also believed that there might be something more for me elsewhere (Marcia, 1966). During this period, I was content in my career but wondered if there were possibilities beyond where I was currently working and perhaps in another country that would be more satisfactory and would provide me greater contentment. This led me to a crossroads in my life that required further evaluation.
Identity Diffusion
At this stage of my life, I believed that by moving to the United States, I was in a better position to succeed in the land of opportunity. In this new country, I could find myself in a role that would be more satisfactory and which could impact my life more effectively. However, I could not immediately enter the country as an RN because I lacked the credentials and licensure to perform in this role. Therefore, I sought to learn English to communicate with my children’s teachers and to prepare myself to work in the nursing profession in the United States. This was a transition period of sorts and provided me with the tools that were required to gain comfort in my new surroundings before I reentered the nursing workplace.
Identity Moratorium
I experienced a moratorium of sorts when I made the decision to reenter the nursing workforce in the United States. This required much preparation on my part, including a nursing refresher course to prepare myself for the NCLEX examination. Once I passed this exam and became an RN, I was in another difficult position because I had not earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing, which was desirable for many employers and would be more attractive on my resume. It was during this period that I enrolled in a BSN program, which was difficult because I was married with two children. During this period, I reentered the identity achievement stage because this was a new phase of my life that would allow me to experience new opportunities for growth and professional development.
Summary
My education has been critical to my success to date and has enabled me to secure a position in a hospital as an RN. I believe that education is critical to my own identity and has enabled me to move forward in my career and has set an example for others to follow. This has been largely influential in my efforts to be a successful mother, wife, and nurse. My evolution continues as an adult and has been instrumental in my ability to be successful both in my educational and nursing career path (Fadjukoff & Kroger, 2016). At the same time, my family has been largely supportive in allowing me to develop my educational and career identity over the years and has been instrumental in my success to date (Syed & Seifge-Krenke, 2013). These issues have been important to me as I move forward with my life and have been largely influential in shaping my decision to relocate to the United States for better opportunities and greater professional growth.
Conclusion
Marcia’s concepts of identity development are essential to self-discovery and growth in a variety of areas. My career and educational paths have taken many roads, including achievement, foreclosure, diffusion, and moratorium, and I have been successful in reaching many of my goals and objectives while I grow and thrive as a human being. These phases of my identity development have shaped who I am today and have provided me with the tools to achieve success and to make a difference in the lives of my patients and my family in many different ways throughout my experiences.
- Fadjukoff, P., & Kroger, J. (2016). Identity Development in Adulthood: Introduction. Identity,
16(1), 1-7.
- Marcia, J. (1966). Development and validation of ego-identity status. Journal of Personality
And Social Psychology, 3(5), 551-558. - Syed, M., & Seiffge-Krenke, I. (2013). Personality development from adolescence to emerging
adulthood: linking trajectories of ego development to the family context and identity
formation. Journal of personality and social psychology, 104(2), 371.
