Identity Processes of Care Leavers Moving to Independence

ABSTRACT Entering adulthood can be a stage of development that is a source of well‐being or anxiety and depression for young people. The course of this process is related to the development of an individual's sense of identity. The aim of this article is to explore the process of identity formation among care leavers at the threshold of independence. The study involved 133 care leavers in the 17–25 years. The Identity Processes Questionnaire was used to examine identity processes of young people in foster care. The independent variables included respondents' age and gender, as well as the type of care (family or institutional) in which they were raised. The results were analysed separately for six identity processes (ruminative exploration in breadth; ruminative exploration in depth; reflective exploration in breadth; reflective exploration in depth; commitment; and identification) and six areas of identity formation (profession, worldview, recreation, intimate relationships, friendship and gender roles). The analysis revealed no statistically significant differences between women and men or between family care residents and institutional care residents. Differences were noted among foster care residents across age groups. The youngest respondents scored highest on ruminative exploration (both in breadth and depth) and lowest on the identification scale. The obtained results are consistent with previous research on the development of a sense of identity.