Abstract
Objective:
Contextual factors are important determinants of the differences between the identity status of adolescents. Present study aimed to compare the identity statuses of adolescents from two socio-culturally distinct regions of Turkey. Together with the cultural influences on identity status, gender, income and age influences on identity status has been analysed within the study.
Method:
Study group consisted of 461 adolescents attending two high schools in Istanbul (N=229) and Nusaybin (N=232). A demographic questionnaire and EOM-EIS were applied to all participants.
Results:
A one way MANOVA yielded significant differences in identity statuses between two regions. At the ideological domain, participants from Nusaybin reported higher on moratorium while at the interpersonal domain they reported higher on both foreclosure and diffusion. Furthermore, participants’ ages significantly correlated with foreclosure both in the ideological and interpersonal domains. While family income and identity statuses did not found to be correlated, identity statuses differed in terms of gender both in some ideological and interpersonal domains.
Discussion:
Results of the present study revealed that identity status differed significantly between two socio-culturally distinct regions of Turkey. Results suggest the importance of these differences in analysing the psychological characteristics of adolescents in Turkey.
Keywords: Identity status, culture, context, adolescence.
