“It is a New Chapter Now” – Making Identity-Defining Commitments in Early Adulthood concerning Romantic relationships

Abstract

The present study explored the process of making identity-defining commitments in early adulthood concerning romantic relationships. Using data from the Gothenburg Longitudinal study of Development, the sample consisted of nine participants who had developed from identity diffusion at age 29 (no commitments) into identity foreclosure at age 33 (commitments) in the romantic identity domain. Intra-individual changes in the participants’ identity narratives were investigated using a case-based thematic analysis. The findings suggest that the commitment-making process entail being influenced by life changes in new ways, increased levels of meaning-making and changes in identity content. The study highlight romantic relationships as an important context for identity development in early adulthood.