This article examines age-related trends in general ideological identity status and identity in the domains of vocation, religion, lifestyle, and politics during early adolescence and relationships between adolescent vocational identity and identities in the other domains. A cross-sectional study of 1,099 high school students in Grades 7 through 12 revealed a developmental progression in adolescent vocational identity characterized by an increase in the proportion of students classified as identity achieved and moratorium and a decrease in the proportion of students classified as identity
diffused and foreclosed. Statuses in the general ideological, religious, lifestyle, and political identity domains appeared to be related to, but clearly lagged behind, identity status development in the domain of vocation. No sex differences were found in the age-related trends in vocational identity status and its relationships with the other identity domains. The results are interpreted as indicative of the leading role of vocational development in adolescent identity formation. Applicability of the construct of vocational identity status to career assessment is discussed.
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