During the identity vs role-confusion stage, young adults will determine their personally held beliefs, their ideals, their goals and desires. During identity vs role-confusion or the diffusion phase in transactional analysis, the individual becomes concerned about how they appear to others.
Sexuality
Exploration of identity in adolescence has expanded to include exploration of sexuality. In previous generations, the only choices were marriage to one spouse, remaining single and celibate or choosing sex outside of wedlock and risking social stigma as a result.
If someone cannot make a final choice above sexual orientation, career paths and social roles, role-confusion can occur. Each person is secure in their own identity but not in how they should relate to the other party.
Examples of role confusion:
• If someone cannot draw a line between child and employee, they have difficulty acting independently in a family business, perhaps even in any later workplace they choose.
• Sexual role-confusion makes it difficult to form romantic relationships. Romantic partners will have difficulty with emotional intimacy with someone who may not stay if they change their sexual identity.
• Relationships to adults who are friends of teachers met in social circumstances can cause role-confusion. Are they to be treated as a peer by the young adult? Are they to be deferred to as if they were a surrogate parent?
• Working with someone with whom there is a current sexual relationship or deep emotional intimacy creates role-confusion. When a supervisor is also a lover, the supervisor frequently gives preferences to their partner regardless of merit. When two coworkers are partners, they may act unprofessionally in the work place, creating a distraction for other employees or taking time away from their duties. When two individuals are close friends, this can prevent one in a senior role providing honest criticism and correction of a subordinate.
