Role of Parenting and Attribution Styles in Identity Diffusion among Adolescents

The present study aimed at investigating the role of parenting style and attribution style in the development of diffused identity status among adolescents. A sample of 500 adolescents of 11th and 12th class from English medium coeducational schools of Jaipur city was selected through purposive sampling technique for the screening purpose. From among them 110 adolescents identified as diffused were selected for further investigation comprising 50 boys and 60 girls.

A correlation design was used. Participants completed the Revised Version of the Extended Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status (EOMEIS-2) by Bennion and Adams (1986) for screening out adolescents with diffused identity. Further Parental Authority Questionnaire (Buri, 1991) and Attribution Style Questionnaire (Peterson& Seligman, 1982) were administered on the selected participants. Findings revealed a significant positive correlation between identity diffusion and authoritarian style (mother and father), mother permissive style, bad achievement and combined bad achievement-affiliation dimension of attribution style. The results of the study showed that identity diffusion significantly negatively correlates with authoritative parenting style (mother and father) and good achievement and combined good achievement-affiliation dimension of attribution style. The findings would help the psychologists, counselors, clinical psychologists, etc. for prevention of identity related major disorders and psychopathology from the ground level.