The Construct Validity of Three Self-Report Instruments Hypothesized to Measure the Degree of Resolution for Each of the First Six Stage Crises in Erikson's Developmental Theory of Personality

Abstract

For a sample of 160 university students (56 males and 104 females) the major purpose of this study was to obtain evidence for the construct validity of each of three self-report inventories that had been designed to reflect the degree of successful or unsuccessful resolution of each of the first six of Erikson's eight stage crises within a theory of psychosocial development. Intercorrelations among the 36 subscales (12 subscales from each inventory with 6 representing a positive resolution and 6 others portraying a negative resolution of six stage crises) were obtained and submitted to a principal factors solution followed by both orthogonal and oblique rotations. Class standing as either a freshman or a senior/graduate student was correlated with each of the 36 subscales. The empirical factor structure defined failed to support the construct validity of the three self-report inventories, but instead indicated the presence of dimensions associated with method or response set variance. The correlational data suggesting that age was associated with a successful or unsuccessful resolution of stage crises of Identity and Intimacy yielded some support for validity.

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