Abstract

This study longitudinally examined the relationship between identity and well-being among young Korean adults undergoing role transitions. Early adulthood is a period marked by new changes across multiple life domains-academic, occupational, and interpersonal-while simultaneously being a crucial time for determining life direction. This study focused on the relationship between identity and psychological well-being within the context of role transitions occurring in the occupational domain. Participants consisted of 194 individuals (138 males) enrolled at the Korea National Police Academy to become police officers. They responded to online surveys one month after enrollment (Time 1) and one year later (Time 2, six months after department assignment). At time 1, they reported demographic information, psychological well-being, and identity development status. Identity development status was measured across three dimensions: consolidated identity (a state of clear awareness of who one is), disturbed identity (a state of some awareness of self that varies with circumstances) and lack of identity (a state of no awareness of who one is). At time 2, participants responded to psychological well-being items identical to those at time 1. The analysis revealed that consolidated identity at time 1 was positively related to psychological well-being at time 2, while disturbed identity and lack of identity at time 1 were negatively related to psychological well-being at time 2. Furthermore, the positive relationship between consolidated identity at time 1 and psychological well-being at time 2 remained significant even after controlling for psychological well-being at time 1, the other two identity states, and demographic information. These results suggest that individuals who have formed a consolidated identity experience higher psychological well-being during the process of acquiring new roles.