Technical Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Available online at www.tjeas.com
©2013 TJEAS Journal-2013-3-15/1635-1639
ISSN 2051-0853 ©2013 TJEAS
Relationship between spiritual health and social
skills with adolescents Identity Styles
A.N. Kor 1, N.Pordelan 1, H. Heydari 3 and H.Ghasemi 4
Corresponding author: abdol naser kor
ABSTRACT:The aim of present study was to investigate relationship between spiritual health
and social skills with adolescents identity styles. For this purpose, 190 boys and girls at first high
school students were selected by multistage cluster sampling in Varamin city enrolled 20112012 at school.Data were gathered by Brozonskei’s identity styles questionnaires (1994), social
skills scale, and spiritual health questionnaire(Alison and Polotzin, 1982) and were analyzed by
using the statistical methods, correlation and analysis of variance. Data analysis indicated that
spiritual health and social skills are positively correlated with informational and normative
identity style, and negative correlation with diffuse / avoidant identity style. Also there is
significant differences between styles of boys and girls identity styles(P<0.01).
Keywords: spiritual health, social skills, identity styles, adolescents
INTRODUCTION
Socialization process is an important aspect of human development. Necessity of relation with
others, is rooted in basic human needs(Hossein Chari & Khayer, 2003).Adolescence is one of the most
important and most sensitive periods of development,it is period for establishment of healthy relationships
with others, social skills, understanding of healthy ,effective and meaningful life and how to enjoy
it(Haghighi, Mousavi, Mehrabiazadeh Honarmand & Beshlideh, 2006).Being equipped with social skills
effectively, will protect adolescents against adolescents crisis which is the most one is identity crisis.
In this period, creating a cohesive identity and access to an appropriate definition of self, is the
most important aspects of psychological- social development.Erickson was the firstperson who
introduced identity as a major achievement in adolescence.Identify is main elements of human
personality that seeks to find the objectivity,enables individual to determine his position with world and
others as appropriate one.In the formation of identity some questions are raised such as "Who am I?
What should I do? How do I choose the way I want in life?what's worthwhile? "(Bakhshayekhsh & Rezai
Moghadam, 2010).Identity formation involves making decisions about some of important aspects of life:
work, love and religious ideology and political priorities. Hence, identity formation, is autonomous process
and is achieved by diagnosis of strengthening and integrating a unique set of ideals and goals and
combinations countless roles in life(Schwartz, 2001). To achieve a stable and fixed identity style, not only
will cause personal and integration emotional, but make future developments and also provides balance
and harmony in life(Erickson, 1968).Identity style is way that person used for verification and test of
information about identity(Kerpelman, Pittman & Adler-Baeder,2008). Brozonskey by a cognitive - social
approach about identity had studied different processes which people in different situations to make
decisions, solve problems, and use the informationso classified 3Identity styles as following;Informational,
normative, and diffuse / avoidant.Thus adolescents with informational identity style,involved in selfexploringprocess and pay attention to search about their process and evaluation of
information.Adolescents with normative identity style always have conformity with experiences and
people expectations in their life,act dogmatic and normative manner,and have strong tendencyto
internalize values of reference groups. Finally, adolescents with diffuse/avoidant identity style,as possible
as to avoid exposure to issues of identity, and used to behavior based on situational and temporal factors
and used more weak documentation and cognitive strategies(Berzonsky, 1990; Berzonsky & Niemeyer,
Tech J Engin & App Sci., 3 (15): 1635-1639, 2013
1994; Berzonsky & Ferrari, 1996).Possibility of creating a crisis in identity formation among adolescents is
higher than any other groups.To prevent confusion over identity formation depends on appropriate
response to these and similar questions. When adolescentslook around and assess their identity,
feelneed to answer to some questionsabout human existence, self and even nature.Adolescents want to
fill vacuum in their life.In this period, a certain set of ideas, give psychological safety and peace of mind to
adolescent. Understanding philosophy and meaning of life and relyingon religious and spiritual
organizations, create peace of mind and helps to resolve the identity crisis(Muqn Bashi & Dehghani,
2006).
Spiritual is coping strategies of adolescents age group(Rasuli, Yaghmaei, Alavi Majd & Saeid
Alzakerian, 2009).The spiritual dimension is one of human health aspects and it’s unique force which
harmony physical, mental and social aspectsand helps to cope person;so that people who improve their
mental health, more deal effectively with events and have more skills in life(Rezaei, Seyed Fatemi
&Hosseini, 2009).Spiritual health is specifiedwith characteristics of stability, peace, feelling a close
relationship with self, God, society and environment(Safayi Rad, Karimi & Shomoossi, 2010; Carven, &
Hirnle, 2003) and having meaning and purpose in life(Gomez & Fisher, 2003). Spiritual health have two
aspects; religious-healthand existential health. Religious health reflect relationship with God, or infinite
power and existential health represents our relationship with others, environment and internal
communication that can be attributed ability to integrate different aspects of different choices(Hawks,
Hull, Thalman & Richins, 1995).Spiritual healthby motivating person, increased life expectancy and
improves social functioning(Hojati, Motlagh, Nouri, Sharifinia, Mohammadnezhad & Heydari, 2010;
Crocetti, Rubini, Berzonsky & Meeus, 2009). Spirituality and related concepts of it,give identity to person
which because of it, that person far left from perplexity and identity crisis orfaded hisidentity crisis.By
considering effects of spirituality in life events,in present study will be discussed relationship between
spiritual health in adolescents by social skills and style identity.
METHODS
The statistical population,Sample and Sampling method
The population consisted of all boys and girls who enrolled at first high school at Varamin city in
2011-2012. The sample size is 190 students, of which 90 were girls and 100 were boys. Sampling
method in this study is multi-stage cluster sampling which according to it, from that city, 2 girls and 2 boys
high schools and two classes of each school were selected and research was conducted onto them.
The Research Instruments
Identity questionnaire: This questionnaire was designed by Brozonskey(1994) and by 40
itemsmeasures informational identity style with 11 items, normative identity with 9 items, and the identity
of diffuse / avoidant with 10 items. 10 other items dedicated to commitment of identity and it is used for
secondary analysis and it’s not part of identity style,so it was not used in this study.This questionnaire has
been used for adolescents and older(Berzonskey & Niemeyer, 1994).Responses are ordered in range of
5, strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5).
Reliability coefficients of this questionnaire by using Cronbach's alpha in Brozonskei’s study and
Niemeyer(1994) have been reported from 0.62 to 0.78. In the Iranian case,Khodai,Shokri,Krosoti and
Gravand(2009)have reportedCronbach alpha coefficients 0.53 to 0.71 for the identity styles and validity of
questionnaire was confirmed through confirmative factor analysis and exploratory.In present study,
Cronbach's alpha coefficients for total questionnaire was equal to 0.71.
spiritual health questionnaire:This 20-items questionnairehas been designed by Alison and
Polotzin(1982).Answers to questionsare six-choices Likert from completely disagree (1) to completely
agree (6) and scores range between 20 to 120.In negative questions, the scoring is done by reverse.
Adolescent mental health levelswere divided into three groups:low spiritual health of (20 to 40), medium
(41 to 99) and high (100 to 120). Reliability and validity of this questionnairehas been approved in
Alah’Bakhshian, Jafarpoor Alavi,Parvizi and Haghani(2010) with alpha 0.82.
Social Skills Scale:This scale has 56 items thatevaluate social skills based on five-point Likert
scale with a score range of 1 (never / never) to 5 (always).Scores range are between 56 to 280 points
and accordingto it,adolescentsare divided into low social skills (56 to 130), medium (131 to 205) and high
(206 to 280).
Reliability of thisinstrument is obtained in Yousefi's survey (2002) with Cronbach's alpha 0.86.
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Tech J Engin & App Sci., 3 (15): 1635-1639, 2013
Analysis of data
Analysis of data was based on correlation matrix (Pearson) and descriptive statistics and ANOVA
were used to compare 2genders in identity styles.
RESULTS
Table 1 has been shown correlation coefficient of spiritual health, social skills and identity styles
(informational, normative, and diffuse).
Table 1. Correlation matrix between variables
1
2
3
4
5
1
190
.586**
1
.000
190
.804**
190
.398**
1
.000
190
-.523**
.000
190
-.692**
190
-.343**
1
.000
190
.669**
.000
190
.464**
.000
190
.388**
190
-.452**
1
.000
190
.000
190
.000
190
.000
190
190
Pearson correlation
coefficient
Significance level
Number
Pearson correlation
coefficient
Significance level
Number
Pearson correlation
coefficient
Significance level
Number
Pearson correlation
coefficient
Significance level
Number
Pearson correlation
coefficient
Significance level
Number
1-Spiritual
health
2-Social Skills
3-Informational
4-Confusion
5Normative
As the above table shows, there is positive correlation between spiritual health with informational
identity style (r =0.80) and normative style (r =0.66) and it has negative correlation with avoidant (r =0.52)(P<0.01). Also there is positive correlation between social skills with informational identity style (r
=0.39) and normative style (r =0.46) and it has negative correlation with avoidant(r =-0.69)
(P<0.01).There ispositive correlation between spiritual health and social skills(P<0.01, r=0.58).
Table 2. Mean and SD subscales styles of informational, normative, Confusion
SD
Mean
N
10.73922
11.31898
11.11363
8.44602
8.80674
8.72311
8.40507
10.03573
9.29726
38.3200
41.6444
39.8947
30.0900
33.0556
31.4947
34.9307
31.9888
33.5526
100
90
190
100
90
190
100
90
190
man
woman
total
man
woman
total
man
woman
total
informational
normative
Confusion
To examine identity styles in both sexes ANOVAwere used and results are as follows:
Discussion
The present research examined the relationship between spiritual health and social skills for
adolescents with style identity.The results indicate that spiritual health and social skills are effective in
transition from identity crisisand access to more efficient identity styles.
Informational identity style is most correlated with spiritual health(P˂ 0.01, r=0.80).The results are
consistent with earlier research which is described as follows:
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Tech J Engin & App Sci., 3 (15): 1635-1639, 2013
There is significant positive relationship between spiritual health and social skills.This research is
consistent with Rezai, Seyed Fatemi and Hossein(2010),which showed in their study that spiritual health,
Table 3. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) for comparison of two groups (boys and girls) in style of identity
Significance
level
.039
.019
.029
F
Mean square
Df
4.313
523.513
121.385
1
188
189
1
188
189
1
188
189
5.608
4.833
416.583
74.281
409.470
84.721
The sum of
square
523.513
22820.382
23343.895
416.583
13964.912
14381.495
409.470
15927.504
16336.974
Intergroup
Intragroup
total
Intergroup
Intragroup
total
Intergroup
Intragroup
total
informatinal
normative
Confusion
As can be observed in above table,there is a significant difference in 0.05 between two
genders(boys and girls)in three styles informational,normative,and confused.According to Table 1, can be
said that adolescent girls have more scores than boys in informational and normative identity styles and
alsoadolescent boys in diffusion identity styleshave scores more than girls.
would improve consistency in patients with chronic heights and is associated with increasing of
hope,life quality, increasing of self-esteem, social functioning and reducing depression. Also Zeighami
Mohammadiand Tajvidi(2010)in their study on adolescents with thalassemiafound that adolescents who
had higher mental health, had higher social skills.Regarding relationship between spiritual health with
identy styles,results show that spiritual health has positive correlation with informational and normative
style and is negatively correlated with diffuse / avoidant. In fact spirituality as informational source and
motivational force helps in transition from an identity crisis.These finding are consistentwith researches of
Bahari Khosro Shahi and Mahmod Alilo(2010), Bakhshayekhsh and Rezai Moghadam(2010) and Keyes
and Reitzes(2007).It seems that spirituality is effective by creating values, mental and behavioral
indicators in structural strengthening andformation of stable, commitment, gives balance and system to
identity.And to the extent that person is lacking value system,become more chaos and confusion in
relation to their environment.Another finding of this study is thatsignificant positive relationship between
social skills and informationalstyle and there is significant negative relationship between diffuse /
avoidant.While there no significant relationship was found between social skills and normative
style.Indeed possession of informational identity increases amount of mastery and individual efficiency in
social skills.Also there are significant differencesbetween boys and girls in identity styles.
Adolescent girls have more scores in informational and normative identity styles and also
adolescent boys in confusion identity styles have more scores.
This finding is consistentwith researches of Vivan(2003),Mikaili Mani(2010) and Bahari Khosro
Shahi and Mahmod Alilo(2010).These findings may indicate thatgirls more than boysin shaping their
identity choose direction different from what authorities insist on it(Manteghi, 2004).In explanation of this
issue can also be said because girls tend to mature earlier than boys and are more mature, have more
informational identity(Berzonskey & Kuk, 2005).In addition,probablydifferent expectations is effective for
boys and girls in different cultures.In most cultures, especially Eastern cultures women are expected to
behave in more mature, probably because it personality and psychological growth occurs faster than
boys(Mikaili Mani, 2010).
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