Psychosocial Inventory of Ego Strengths (PIES)

Abstract

The Psychosocial Inventory of Ego Strengths (PIES) is a comprehensive, self-report instrument designed to empirically measure the positive developmental outcomes, or ego strengths, proposed by Eriksonian theory. Developed by Markstrom and colleagues (1997), the PIES operationalizes eight specific strengths—Hope, Will, Purpose, Competence, Fidelity, Love, Care, and Wisdom—which correspond to the successful resolution of the eight stages of psychosocial development. The scale provides researchers and clinicians with a robust tool for assessing individual differences in these fundamental personality resources, particularly among adolescent and young adult populations.

Keywords

ego strengths, Erik Erikson, psychosocial development, adolescence, Hope, Will, Purpose, Competence, Fidelity, Love, Care, Wisdom, personality assessment, psychometrics.

Authors

Carol A. Markstrom, Virginia M. Sabino, Brian Turner, R. C. Berman, S. K. Marshall.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the PIES is to provide a reliable and valid quantitative measure of the eight ego strengths derived from Erikson’s model of psychosocial development. Prior to the PIES, many Eriksonian measures focused predominantly on identity status (Stage V). The PIES expands this assessment by addressing all eight developmental stages and their corresponding successful resolutions, allowing for a broader understanding of personality maturity and resilience across the lifespan. It is used in research settings to explore how these strengths relate to well-being, adjustment, and identity formation.

Construct

The PIES measures eight distinct constructs, each representing a positive resolution of an Eriksonian psychosocial crisis. These resolutions are conceptualized as enduring personality resources or ego strengths. The scale is structured around the following bipolar dimensions, where the left term represents the measured ego strength and the right term represents the associated ego weakness:

• Hope vs. Withdrawal
• Will vs. Compulsion
• Purpose vs. Inhibition
• Competence vs. Inertia
• Fidelity vs. Role Repudiation
• Love vs. Exclusivity (or Role Repudiation, duplicated in original source)
• Care vs. Rejectivity
• Wisdom vs. Disdain

These strengths reflect an individual’s capacity for adaptive functioning, ranging from basic trust and optimism (Hope) to integration and acceptance of life choices (Wisdom).

Validity

Initial validation studies by Markstrom and colleagues (1997) demonstrated strong construct validity for the PIES. The instrument’s structure aligns theoretically with Erikson’s framework, confirming that the eight subscales measure distinct yet related psychosocial resources. Subsequent research, such as that conducted by Marshall (1998) and Markstrom & Marshall (2006), provided further evidence of validity, showing expected patterns of convergent and discriminant validity with related psychological constructs. For instance, the PIES scales correlate positively with measures of identity achievement, self-esteem, and psychological adjustment, while demonstrating low correlation with measures of psychopathology, supporting its assessment of positive psychological functioning.

Reliability

The PIES exhibits high internal consistency across its eight subscales. The original psychometric analysis typically reported Cronbach’s alpha coefficients ranging from acceptable to strong across the eight dimensions (e.g., in the .70s to low .90s range). This indicates that the items within each subscale reliably measure their intended construct. The stability of the measure has also been supported through test-retest reliability studies, suggesting that the PIES yields consistent scores over time, reflecting the enduring nature of ego strengths as personality traits.

Factor Analysis

Factor analysis performed during the development and subsequent refinement of the PIES confirmed the hypothesized eight-factor structure. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses consistently supported the separation of the 64 items into eight distinct, yet correlated, factors corresponding precisely to the eight theoretical ego strengths (Hope, Will, Purpose, Competence, Fidelity, Love, Care, and Wisdom). This robust factor structure validates the PIES as an appropriate empirical tool for differentiating between the various psychosocial achievements outlined in Erikson’s theory.

Instrument

Test Type: Psychometric Self-Report Inventory

Format: 64 items utilizing a 5-point Likert scale.

Language Available: English (Original development language).

Population Group: General population, primarily utilized in research with adolescents and young adults.

Age Group: Adolescence through Adulthood.

Population Details: Developed and validated using samples primarily consisting of university students and high school students in North America.

Test Methodology: Respondents indicate the degree to which each statement describes them, ranging from (1) “does not describe me well” to (5) “describes me very well.” Scoring involves summing responses for the eight subscales, with several items being reverse-coded to control for acquiescence bias.

Keywords

Eriksonian theory, psychological assessment, identity development, personality measure, psychometrics, ego development, psychosocial inventory, resilience.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: N/A (Information not provided in source material).

Affiliation Email addresses: N/A (Information not provided in source material).

Correspondence Address: N/A (Information not provided in source material).

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The PIES was first published and documented in 1997. Specific details regarding current usage fees or formal copyright holder permissions must be sought directly from the primary authors (Markstrom, C.A.).

The original PDF describing the scale development can be downloaded here: Markstrom et al, 1997 PDF. Other instrument sources include: Markstrom DOC file and Dissertation PDF.

Reference’s

• Markstrom‚ C.‚ Sabino‚ V. M.‚ Turner‚ B.‚ Berman‚ R. C. (1997). The Psychosocial Inventory of Ego Strengths: Development and assessment of a new Eriksonian Measure. Journal of Youth and Adolescence‚ 26(6): 705-762.
• Marshall‚ S. K. (1998). Mattering attitudes: Validating the construct. University of Guelph. Ph.D. Dissertation Abstracts International‚ 59(6)‚ 3121B.
• Markstrom‚ C.A.‚ Marshall‚ S.K. (2006). The psychosocial inventory of ego strengths: examination of theory and psychometric properties. J Adolesc‚ 30(1):63-79.

Items of the Psychosocial Inventory of Ego Strengths (PIES)

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.