In the alternative model for diagnosing PD in DSM-5, impaired identity is integrated as one out of four central personality functions to evaluate PD severity. We developed the self-report questionnaire AIDA (Assessment of Identity Development in Adolescents) in 2012 for the use in adolescents aged 12 to 18 years to assess pathological identity development, based on a broad description of the field.
Psychometric properties of the original Swiss-German-US version of AIDA were very good, the total scale “identity diffusion” was significantly different between PD-patients and healthy controls with a remarkable effect size (d) of 2.2 standard deviations.
As the interest in the assessment of identity is high, we are supporting several international research groups to develop culture specific adaptations of this questionnaire. A thorough examination of psychometric properties revealed that a specific cultural adaptation might be usefull even for countries with the same language but different cultural background (like Spain, Chile and Mexico).
In this symposium the results of identity assessment with the AIDA in different languages and cultures will be presented and discussed.