Questionnaire Description

The Ego Identity Scale was developed by J. E. Rasmussen and adapted into Greek by S. Triliva. It consists of 72 statements, in which participants are asked to indicate whether they agree or disagree. These statements correspond to six stages of psychosocial development as described by Erik Erikson. Each stage includes 12 questions that examine both the positive and negative outcomes of the developmental conflict characterizing the stage. The questions are grouped into six subscales and cover the following themes: trust vs. mistrust, autonomy vs. doubt, initiative vs. guilt, industry vs. inferiority, identity vs. role confusion, and intimacy vs. isolation.

Data Analysis and Use

Responses to the questions within each subscale are summed to generate individual subscale scores. The overall result of the Ego Identity Scale is the sum of the six subscales. The structure of the scale allows for the assessment of psychosocial adjustment and provides insight into how individuals form their identity through social and personal experiences. The data obtained from the scale can be used for research, educational, or clinical purposes.

Purpose

This scale was created to assess ego identity, as conceptualized by Erik Erikson. The concept of ego identity refers to an individual’s sense of self as a unique person with strengths and weaknesses, as well as their sense of belonging within a social context. A person with a strong ego identity develops a stable self through experience, memory, and their relationship with society.

Scoring

Each subscale score is calculated by summing the responses to its 12 corresponding questions. The total ego identity score is the sum of all six subscales. The validity of the scale is supported by its correlation with other variables, such as family relationships and self-expression. Both the original construction and the Greek adaptation of the scale demonstrate good construct validity. Its reliability, measured using the internal consistency index (Spearman-Brown Formula), is 0.85.

References

Rasmussen, J. E. (1964). The relationship of ego identity to psychological effectiveness. Psychological Reports, 15, 815–825.
Triliva, S. (1990). Identity and relatedness within the family of origin in urban and rural Greece. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.
Wilkerson, R. D. (1982). Alienation and ego identity in adolescence. Adolescence, 17, 133–139.