Identity development is not limited to adolescence, a recent study from the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, shows. Researchers found that identity developed positively from age 27 to 61. A more positively developed identity was associated with higher levels of mental well-being.

Researchers using data from the Jyväskylä Longitudinal Study of Personality and Social Development examined how identity and mental well-being develop on average in adulthood and how they are related. Identity was assessed when the same individuals were aged 27, 36, 42, 50, and 61, and mental well-being was assessed when they were aged 36, 42, 50, and 61.

Identity develops through exploration and commitment

Identity refers to individuals’ views of who they are and what things they consider important in different areas of life. It provides individuals with a sense of continuity over time.

In this study, identity development was assessed by examining how firmly individuals were committed to their views and whether those views had been formed through personal exploration or adopted from significant others or society more broadly.

A well-developed identity is characterized by clear views that individuals have committed to through personal exploration.

Identity continues to develop throughout adulthood

Identity development has often been associated only with adolescence, partly because relatively few studies have followed identity development across adulthood.

“Our study showed that identity can continue to develop throughout adulthood,” says doctoral researcher Liinu Marin from the University of Jyväskylä. “The results indicated positive identity development between ages 27 and 61, with the most changes occurring between ages 27 and 42.”

Identity and mental well-being are linked

The researchers also examined how identity was associated with mental well-being. Mental well-being was assessed in terms of psychological and social well-being, life satisfaction, and feelings of anxiety and depression.

Psychological well-being includes aspects such as autonomy and a sense of purpose in life, while social well-being reflects, for example, a person’s feelings of connectedness to their communities and society.

“The study showed that a more positively developed identity was associated with better mental well-being,” Marin says. “This was evident, for example, in better psychological and social well-being and fewer feelings of anxiety.”

However, the study did not examine the causal direction of these associations.

“Mental well-being may also support or challenge the formation of identity,” Marin explains. “Nevertheless, the findings suggest that identity and mental well-being are linked in adulthood.”

The study is part of the Jyväskylä Longitudinal Study of Personality and Social Development (JYLS), which has followed the development of the same individuals for more than 50 years. The study was led by Professor Lea Pulkkinen from 1968 to 2012 and has been led by Research Director Katja Kokko since 2013. Today, the JYLS is conducted at the Gerontology Research Center within the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä. The study was primarily funded by the Research Council of Finland.