Diffuse-avoidant Identity Style Research Articles

Factors Reducing the Risk of Social Maladjustment: A Narrative Approach to Adolescent Identity Formation

The research aimed to check if the construction of narrative identity by adolescents at risk of maladjustment contributes to their adaptive social functioning. It also aimed to identify factors related to identity on which the adjustment of adolescents at risk of social maladjustment depends. A natural experiment was conducted in Poland among youths from sociotherapy centres (n = 60, aged 18–20 years, 33 women and 27 men). A group of graduates at these centres (n = 31, aged 21–24 years, 17 women and 14 men) was included in the exploratory study and compared with the group of students in terms of maladjustment, ego-resiliency, and identity. The experiment shows that the construction of a narrative identity through a life story interview contributes to better social adaptation, which means a lower risk of maladjustment. The diffuse-avoidant identity style predisposes to maladjustment, whereas ego-resiliency is associated with a higher level of adjustment. Thus the narrative interview method can find application in the therapy of adolescents at risk of maladjustment.

Radicalized Identity Styles: Investigating Sociocultural Challenges, Identity Styles, and Extremism

ABSTRACT Research has identified sociocultural challenges (life attachment) to be a primary motivator for radicalization. While individual differences may provide information about who might be at risk for radicalization, little is known about how different identity processing styles are linked with radicalization. In two studies (N = 975), we examined how identity styles can moderate the association between life attachment and various aspects of extremism. We found that insecure life attachment was significantly and positively associated with radicalization, and this association was strengthened by the normative and the diffuse-avoidant identity style. Results are discussed in relation to identity processes in late modernity, suggesting that personal identity development may emerge as an important factor in the multifaceted process of radicalization.

INFLUENCE OF ATTACHMENT STYLES ON ESTABLISHMENT OF ADOLESCENTS’ IDENTITY AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM BLENDED FAMILIES IN KIAMBU COUNTY

Parents adopt different attachment styles in parenting their children. This phenomenon is more profound in blended families where there are many relationships that can lead to many problems. However, with appropriate attachment styles adopted by step parents such challenges can be mitigated. The purpose of this study was to examine influence of attachment styles on establishment of adolescents’ identity among secondary school students from blended family in Kiambu County, Kenya. Attachment theory by Bowlby guided this study. The study adopted a mixed method approach, descriptive causal effect design and pragmatic paradigm to guide the study. Multi-stage sampling method and inclusive /exclusive criteria were used. To begin with, the study adopted survey method as the sampling technique because the total population of adolescents that came from blended families was unknown. Simple random sampling was used to select 9 schools and also determine the 5 classes to be sampled in each of these schools. The 5 classes had a population of 55 students each. A short questionnaire with demographic data of students was issued to all the students (2475) in a bid to elicit the adolescents from the said classes that came from blended families in the 9 schools. A total number of 208 adolescents from blended families in the 9 schools was elicited and this was considered a sufficient sample size. In addition, simple random sampling was used to sample 24 respondents to form 4 focus groups while purposive sampling was used to sample 4 counsellors from 9 schools for in-depth interview. Data was collected using questionnaires, counsellors’ interview schedule and focus group discussions. Inventory for Parent and Peer Attachment Scale and Identity Style Inventory were used as measuring tools. Data was analysed through descriptive statistics, statistical assumption tests, correlation tests- T- test, and MANCOVA analysis while qualitative data was analysed by use of narrative analysis. Findings were presented in form of tables while interview data was presented in narrative form. Permission to conduct the study was obtained from the National Council for Science and Technology, the Kiambu County Government, Ethical approval was sought from accredited IERC (Institutional Ethics Review Committee) as well as a written informed consent from the school administration. Results indicated that attachment styles adopted by step parents influence the establishment of adolescent informational, commitment and diffuse avoidant identity styles but not normative identity style. The study will benefit Ministry of Education, counsellors, parents, families and society.

Influence of Parental Attachment on Adolescent Identity Styles Development

Identity formation has been identified as one of the problems associated with socialization process during adolescence. Adolescents who receive proper encouragement through personal exploration will emerge from this stage with a strong sense of self and the ones who remain unsure of their beliefs and desires will feel insecure and confused. This study assessed the influence of parental attachment on identity style development among students in public senior secondary schools in Ogun state. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 396 adolescents from four geo-political zones in Ogun state. Adapted questionnaires (Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment and Identity Style Inventory (IPPA) and Identity Style Inventory (ISI-) were used to elicit information from the respondents on parental attachment and identity styles. Data were analysed using multiple regression. The study was able to establish that maternal and paternal attachment fosters informative identity style (standardized beta weight of .259 and .268) and normative identity styles (standardized beta weight of .206 and .224) in adolescents but not diffuse avoidant identity style (standardized beta weight of .101 and -.037). The study therefore recommends Programs should be developed which will aim at sensitizing parents on the neurocognitive, social and emotional changes that occurs during adolescence and how their continued responsiveness to their adolescent needs impact their identity development. Keywords: attachment, normative, informative, diffuse-avoidant DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/11-2-05 Publication date: January 31 st 2021

Fitting a Model to Students' Cognitive engagement: A Step Towards Accountable Education in Medical Education

Results: nformational identity style has both direct and indirect effect (through the intervening role of mastery goals) on cognitive engagement (P<0.01). Normative identity style has an effect The path from diffuse-avoidant identity style to performance-avoidance goals was excluded from fitted model, fitted model predicts 41% of cognitive engagement. Conclusion: Inorder to improve learning, cognitive engagement (mental efforts) can be targeted using motivational and identity variables.

The Material Context of Adolescent Identity Formation: A Family Economic Stress Approach

ABSTRACT Grounded in the family stress model and recent studies on cognitive effects of poverty, the current study examines how family material conditions relate to identity-relevant information processing among adolescents via family economic strain, family financial conflicts, and parenting behaviors. Data for the study come from the first wave of a longitudinal study on the development of adolescent goals in the context of socio-economic inequalities. The sample includes 1,268 adolescents (51.7% females; M = 14.87; SD = 0.39) attending 36 gymnasiums. Findings reveal that the family economic situation contributes to how adolescents process identity-relevant information, but these effects are primarily indirect. Specifically, better family material conditions are associated with more supportive parental engagement in their children’s identity-relevant decisions, which in turn is associated with higher levels of the information-oriented identity processing style. Poorer family material conditions, economic pressures, and conflicts are associated with parental interference and a lack of engagement, which in turn is associated with higher levels of diffuse-avoidant identity style. The identity styles themselves are known predictors for a wide array of outcomes. Therefore, our findings suggest that countering the adverse effects of socio-economic inequality may be crucial to break a self-perpetuation cycle of socio-economic adversity.

Understanding predictors of improvement in risky drinking in a U.S. multi-site, longitudinal cohort study of transgender individuals: Implications for culturally-tailored prevention and treatment efforts

ObjectiveWhile transgender people report higher rates of risky drinking than the general population, no studies have examined transgender alcohol use longitudinally. This study investigated minority stress and identity development predictors of improvement in risky drinking among transgender individuals. MethodsData come from a multi-site, longitudinal cohort study of U.S. transgender individuals (N = 330) and include measures of enacted stigma, felt stigma, identity development, and risky alcohol use. Theory-driven, hierarchical multivariable logistic regression was used to investigate the hypothesis that minority stress and identity development factors are related to improvement in risky drinking between baseline and 1-year follow-up. ResultsBaseline risky drinkers (n = 106; 37.1%) were younger and more likely to have female sex assigned at birth. At 1-year follow-up, 68 baseline risky drinkers (64.2%) reported persistent risky drinking, while 38 (35.8%) reported improved drinking. Controlling for demographics and study site, female sex assigned at birth and enacted stigma were associated with lower odds of improved drinking. Non-white/Hispanic race/ethnicity, felt stigma, change in gender role/expression for 1–5 years, and diffuse-avoidant identity style were associated with higher odds of improvement. Conclusions/importanceThis is the first study to identity predictors of improvement in risky drinking among transgender individuals. Compared to trans-feminine individuals (assigned male at birth), trans-masculine individuals (assigned female at birth) were more likely to report risky drinking at baseline and had lower odds of improvement at 1-year follow-up. Improved drinking may be facilitated by preventing anti-transgender discrimination. Felt stigma and diffuse-avoidant identity style may lower alcohol risk via avoidance of drinking venues. Further research is needed to explicate these relationships and to inform culturally-tailored alcohol interventions for this at-risk population.

Identity Processing Style and Depression: The Mediational Role of Experiential Avoidance and Self-Regulation

ABSTRACTThis study investigated the role experiential avoidance and self-regulation play in mediating relationships between stylistic differences in the way college students engage or attempt to evade the process of constructing a personal sense of identity and depressive symptoms. Two hundred seven 18- to 23-year-old undergraduate students completed measures of identity processing style, self-regulation, experiential avoidance, and depressive symptoms. Consistent with previous research, a diffuse-avoidant identity style was positively associated with depression, which was completely mediated by self-regulation and experiential avoidance. Contrary to prediction, an informational identity style was not directly related with experiential avoidance or depression. However, an informational style indirectly predicted low depressive symptoms via self-regulation. Unexpectedly, when the contribution of self-regulation was controlled, an informational style was positively associated with experiential avoidance, which indirectly predicted high depressive symptoms. The pattern of relationships was not moderated by the sex of the participants. Implications of the results for intervention programs and counseling practices that may enhance the mental health of college students are considered.

The relevance of identity style and professional identity to academic commitment and academic achievement in a higher education setting

ABSTRACTStudent retention remains an ongoing concern for higher education institutions worldwide. In the present study, we examine the predictive utility of identity styles, professional identity and academic commitment to academic achievement. We asked 120 second-year students in the profession of engineering in an augmented degree programme to complete the Identity Styles Inventory, the Engineering Identity Factors Inventory and the Academic Commitment Scale. We found that a normative identity style predicted professional engineering identity and meaningfulness, which predicted the participants’ investments in their studies. Additionally, a diffuse-avoidant identity style negatively predicted professional identity, meaningfulness and satisfaction, which provides empirical evidence of the contribution of identity to academic commitment. None of the variables we studied predicted academic achievement. Our findings are relevant, given current debates on access, equity and decolonisation in higher education, because it suggests that students’ sense of identity largely influences whether they feel a sense of belonging at university. Although identity styles and meaningfulness are not significant direct predictors of academic achievement, they probably do have an indirect effect on academic achievement through their direct influence on investment.

How does School Experience Relate to Adolescent Identity Formation Over Time? Cross-Lagged Associations between School Engagement, School Burnout and Identity Processing Styles.

The existing research findings still do not provide a clear understanding of the links between adolescent school experience and their identity formation. To address this gap, we analyzed the dynamic links between adolescent school experiences and identity formation by exploring the cross-lagged associations between school engagement, school burnout and identity processing styles (information-oriented, normative and diffuse-avoidant) over a 2-year period during middle-to-late adolescence. The sample of this school-based study included 916 adolescents (51.4% females) in the 9th to 12th grades from diverse socio-economic and family backgrounds. The results from the cross-lagged analyses with three time points revealed that (a) school engagement positively predicted information-oriented identity processing over a 2-year period; (b) school burnout positively predicted the reliance on normative and diffuse-avoidant identity styles across the three measurements; (c) the effects were stable over the three time points and across different gender, grade, and socio-economic status groups. The unidirectional effects identified in our study support the general prediction that active engagement in learning at school can serve as a resource for adolescent identity formation, while school burnout, in contrast, can hinder the formation of adolescent identity. This points to the importance of taking developmental identity-related needs of adolescents into account when planning the school curriculum.

Connections Among Identity, Attachment, and Psychological Dating Aggression During Adolescence

ABSTRACTThe collective influence of identity styles and romantic attachment insecurity on psychological dating aggression was examined for 1,975 adolescents living in a southern state in the United States. Informational identity style related negatively to psychological dating aggression, but anxious romantic attachment related positively to this behavior. Diffuse-avoidant identity style and using psychological dating aggression were associated positively, whereas normative identity style and receiving psychological dating aggression were associated negatively. In addition, the combination of high informational or normative identity style with high avoidant romantic attachment was linked to lower psychological dating aggression. Our findings build on the previously noted parallelism between identity styles and romantic attachment insecurity by showing how they work together to explain variability in psychological dating aggression.

Identity styles in the Georgian context and associations with parenting dimensions

Information-oriented, normative, and diffuse-avoidant identity styles represent social-cognitive approaches used by young people to seek and process self-relevant information. The present study is a first investigation of identity styles and their association with parenting dimensions in Georgia – a context that is considerably understudied in identity research. Previous research has indicated that identity styles, along with identity commitment, are linked with maternal and paternal parenting dimensions. In the present investigation we used SEM analysis to study this relationship. We used data from 650 Georgian emerging adults between the ages of 17–30 (46.6% male) using the Identity Style Inventory-5 (ISI-5) and scales for parental support, behaviour control, and psychological control. Findings indicated that the normative and diffuse-avoidant identity styles are positively correlated with each other and negatively correlated with the information-oriented style and with commitment. Only the information-oriented style was positively associated with commitment. Perceived parental support and maternal behavioural control were positively associated with the information-oriented style, whereas both parents’ behavioural and psychological control were more highly correlated with the normative style. Both parents’ psychological control was positively correlated with the diffuse-avoidant style. These results, which indicated considerable differences from the research results in other countries, are discussed in the light of the Georgian context.

How do Lithuanian adolescents address identity questions? A four-wave longitudinal study on change and stability in identity styles

The present investigation evaluated multiple patterns of change and stability in Berzonsky’s identity styles (informational, normative, and diffuse-avoidant) in a four-annual-wave longitudinal study with 468 adolescent boys and girls from Lithuania. A combination of mean level changes, high rank-order stability, and high profile stability has been found in this study. First, levels of informational and normative identity styles remained stable for girls, but decreased significantly for boys; levels of diffuse-avoidant identity styles remained stable for girls and boys. Second, the rank-order stability of the normative and diffuse-avoidant styles was lower for boys, than for girls. Third, the mean profile stability was high for girls and moderate for boys. In general, our findings highlighted substantial gender differences in multiple indices of change and stability of identity styles.

Attending to the role of identity exploration in self-esteem

Although research suggests an interplay between identity development and self-esteem, most studies focused on the role of identity commitment and measured only level of self-esteem. This study examined longitudinal associations between Berzonsky’s (2011) styles of identity exploration and two distinct features of self-esteem: level of self-esteem and contingent self-esteem. Participants were 167 college students (mean age = 19 years; 66% female) who completed questionnaires tapping into identity styles and features of self-esteem at two measurement waves separated by a 4-month interval. Both information-oriented and normative styles were found to be predicted by contingent self-esteem. Follow-up analyses demonstrated that the content of contingent self-esteem predicting both identity styles was different. A diffuse-avoidant identity style was predicted mainly by low levels of self-esteem. Although we also observed some effects of identity styles on the self-esteem variables, the self-esteem variables had overall a more consistent influence on the identity styles than the other way around.

Identity development during cultural transition: The role of social-cognitive identity processes

Based on fundamental cognitive differences, Berzonsky (1989) proposed three different strategies of exploration behavior that underlie the process of identity development: informational, normative, and diffuse-avoidant styles. The present study extends Berzonsky's theorizing to acculturation research and examines the social-cognitive processes underlying identity development of new immigrants (N=218). We investigate informational (analytical and exploratory), normative (heritage and host) and diffuse-avoidant identity styles as predictors of identity commitment and identity outcomes (self-esteem, self-concept clarity and ethno-cultural identity conflict). Two positive and two negative pathways to identity outcomes were identified, which were fully or partially mediated by identity commitment. Analytical informational style and normative orientation to the host society predicted stronger identity commitment, which, in turn, resulted in more positive identity outcomes. In contrast, diffuse-avoidant and exploratory informational styles exerted negative effects on identity outcomes via identity commitment. Furthermore, identity commitment buffered the negative impact of normative orientation to the country of origin on self-esteem. Taken together our findings indicate that identity commitment plays a central role in identity reconstruction of new immigrants.

Cognitive Reasoning, Identity Components, and Identity Processing Styles

This study evaluated the hypothesis that relationships between cognitive reasoning processes and the types of identity components (i.e., personal, collective, or social) that individuals emphasize in defining who they are would at least in part be mediated by identity processing styles. Results indicated rational processing was linked positively to a personal identity emphasis and negatively to a social emphasis. Intuitive processing was positively linked to all three identity emphases. As hypothesized, all of the direct relationships were at least partially mediated by identity processing style. Specifically, the positive association between rational processing and a personal identity emphasis was completely mediated by the informational and diffuse-avoidant identity styles. The negative association between rational processing and a social identity emphasis was completely mediated by all three identity styles. The informational and normative styles mediated the structural paths from intuitive processing to a collective identity (completely) and social identity (partially) emphasis. Finally, the positive relationship between intuitive reasoning and personal identity was mediated by the informational, but not normative, style. This pattern of relationships was not moderated by the sex of the participants. The role that cognitive processing strategies and identity styles may play in how individuals define themselves and form a sense of identity was considered.

Identity Processing Styles and Value Orientations: The Mediational Role of Self-Regulation and Identity Commitment

Recent research has found systematic associations between identity processing styles (how individuals negotiate the process of identity formation) and value orientations (personal views about what values and goals should be pursued). This investigation evaluated the hypothesis that these relationships would at least in part be mediated by individual differences in self-regulation and self-defining commitment. Consistent with previous research, an informational identity style was positively associated with values that transcended selfish interest whereas a normative style was positively associated with values that emphasized security and tradition. A diffuse-avoidant identity style was positively associated with values that highlighted self-interest. As hypothesized, a number of the relationships were mediated by the commitments the participants held and their levels of self-regulatory resources. The more self-defining the participants considered their commitments to be, the more likely they were to endorse traditional values or those that transcended their own self-interest. High levels of self-regulation were associated positively with traditional values and negatively with values that promoted self-indulgence and self-promotion. The role values, commitments, and self-regulatory resources may play in how individuals approach or avoid constructing and maintaining a sense of identity is considered.

Identity Styles, Positive Youth Development, and Civic Engagement in Adolescence

Identity formation is a core developmental task of adolescence. Adolescents can rely on different social-cognitive styles to seek, process, and encode self-relevant information: information-oriented, normative, and diffuse-avoidant identity styles. The reliance on different styles might impact adolescents' adjustment and their active involvement in the society. The purpose of this study was to examine whether adolescents with different identity styles report differences in positive youth development (analyzed with the Five Cs-Competence, Confidence, Character, Connection, and Caring-model) and in various forms of civic engagement (i.e., involvement in school self-government activities, volunteering activities, youth political organizations, and youth non-political organizations). The participants were 1,633 (54.1 % female) 14-19 year old adolescents (M age = 16.56, SD age = 1.22). The findings indicated that adolescents with different identity styles differed significantly on all the Five Cs and on two (i.e., involvement in volunteering activities and in youth non-political organizations) forms of civic engagement. Briefly, adolescents with an information-oriented style reported high levels of both the Five Cs and civic engagement; participants with a normative style reported moderate to high scores on the Five Cs but low rates of civic engagement; diffuse-avoidant respondents scored low both on the Five Cs and on civic engagement. These findings suggest that the information-oriented style, contrary to the diffuse-avoidant one, has beneficial effects for both the individual and the community, while the normative style has quite beneficial effects for the individual but not for his/her community. Concluding, adolescents with different identity styles display meaningful differences in positive youth development and in rates of civic engagement.

Shyness in Academic Contexts

Our research investigated the relationships of shyness with identity styles, emotional intelligence, self-esteem, and intrinsic motivation among university students, as well the role of identity styles within this model. 330 undergraduate students from Italian Universities completed a questionnaire composed by the Revised Cheek and Buss Shyness Scale, the Revised Identity Style Inventory, the Schutte Emotional Intelligence Scale, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Intrinsic Motivation Scale. Causal analyses assessed the relationships between the variables. The findings showed that the diffuse avoidant identity style was mediator in all models, emotional intelligence was positively predictor of intrinsic motivation and negatively predictor of shyness, shyness was negatively predictor of intrinsic motivation and criterion variable of emotional intelligence. Further studies could better explore the nature of these relationships.

Identity Styles, Mental Health and Socio-economic Status of Iranian Late Adolescents

This study examines identity formation among Golestan’s late adolescents. Its findings indicate that 94.3% of participants have not experienced an identity crisis. A majority of respondents 33.8% reflected the diffuse-avoidant identity style. No significant difference in identity style exists between late adolescent’smales and females. There isa significant difference in identity styles between different age groups. Comparative consequences showed that there isn't significant difference between girls and boys in finding identity style, while there is significant difference between different age groups, which means there is significant difference between 20- 24 year olds in confusion identity style.Correlation consequences show that there is significant relationship between confusion identity style and identity crisis. It means that those experiencing the identity crisis have more tendencies to face identity diffuse/avoidant. Thereis also significant negative correlation between confusion identity style and economic-social status, which means the higherthe economic and social status, the less is experiences in the confusion identity style. In addition, the results show that there is significant correlation between identity crisis and mental health. It means those girls experiencing identity crisis have lower psychiatric health, while this is different among boys, which means boys who experience identity crisis have higher chance of having mental health.