The Impact of Family Cohesion and Flexibility on University Students' Identity: The Case of Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University

Hassan Rahgozar,Pegah Piran,Ali Mohammadi,Soqra Yousefi

doi:10.5539/ass.v8n2p95

Abstract

This research aims to study the effect Family's flexibility and cohesion on shaping the identity of students at Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University. The Causal Comparative method is applied to conduct the research and the statistical sample included 375 students, selected randomly from Azad university of Shiraz. Measuring tools in this study include: 1). The Ego Identity Process Questionnaire (EIPQ) 2). Positive Flexibility Questionnaire and 3). Family Cohesion Questionnaire.The result indicated that family flexibility and cohesion affect identity of students positively, especially in terms of the two dimensions of exploration and commitment.

Highlights

Identity is "a subjective sense as well as an observable quality of personal sameness and continuity, paired with some belief in the sameness and continuity of some shared world image
This research aimed to study the effect of family cohesion and flexibility on identity and its two dimensions of exploration and commitment of students at Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University
The results from the research showed that the score average of cohesion and commitment among female students were higher than among male students and the score average of flexibility and exploration among male students were higher than among female ones

Summary

Introduction

Identity is "a subjective sense as well as an observable quality of personal sameness and continuity, paired with some belief in the sameness and continuity of some shared world image. As a quality of unself-conscious living, this can be gloriously obvious in a young person who has found himself as he has found his communality. Many psychologists have insisted on the Adolescence period to be a crisis; but, Erikson believes that teenagers or young adults will gain moderated psychological balance if s/he comes to know him/herself in the right time by learning to interact properly with the society through the experiences s/he has had. If s/he is lost in identity and is uncertain of her individual identity, s/he will not have psychological balance and will be facing identity crisis. A youth's growth toward perfection is based upon the solution to identity crisis (Salehi Amiri, Kavousy & Tohidy Ardahaey, 2009)

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