Marcia Identity Interview

Interview your adolescent on at least two of these four domains (Occupation, Religion. Politics and Marriage).  Choose the two domains which you think the adolescent would be most comfortable talking about.  Record their responses. To score their responses, evaluate their level of exploration and commitment in a given domain and place them in an identity status.  Concrete Operational thinkers are expected to be Diffused or Foreclosed and Formal operational thinkers are expected to be Moratorium or Achieved.   

Occupation:  What are your long-term occupational plans – do you have a career field in mind?

Exploration
	How did you come to choose __________?  
	What kinds of things did you think about as you were trying to decide your occupational plans? 
	Did you ever consider any other occupation?
	Have you had this occupation in mind for a long time? 

Commitment
	Have your parents had any plans or hopes for you for a career?
	How do your parents feel about the plans you have now?
How likely is it that you will change your mind about your career?    Do you feel pretty committed to those plans?

Religion:  Do you have any particular religious affiliation? 

Commitment
How important to you are your own religious beliefs?  
	How much do you think and talk about religious issues?  
	Do you practice your religion regularly – go to services etc.? 
	Is your religious affiliation the same as your parents? 
	Do you think it’s likely that your religious beliefs or practices will change?

Exploration
Has there been a time when you came to doubt your religious beliefs?  When was that?               Do you have any idea of what produced those doubts? 
	How did you resolve your questions?      
	How are things for you now?

Politics:  Do you have any particular political preferences or affiliations?
	
Commitment 
	Are your political preferences the same as your parents?
Are there any political issues that you feel strongly about?                  
	Have you ever taken action in support of those beliefs – by writing letters, participating in demonstrations, etc.

Exploration
Did you ever reconsider or reevaluate your political values or beliefs?  
	What kinds of factors – issues, people, events – do you think have had an effect on your political beliefs?
	Do you think it is likely that you will change your basic beliefs about politics?

Marriage:   Have you thought much about commitment to another person in a long-term relationship or marriage?  Would you want such a relationship?	            

Commitment
	How concerned are you about finding it?
At what point in your life would you hope/expect to make a commitment to a relationship?
Do you think that you will want to raise your children pretty much as your parents have raised you?

Exploration 
	Did you ever reconsider or reevaluate your values or beliefs about long-term relationships, marriage, or children?  
	As you think about the kind of relationship you want with a partner, how would you compare your ideas with those of your mother (father)?
	Do you think it is likely that you will change your basic beliefs about long-term relationships, marriage, or children?