The predictive effect of gender role perception on university students' identity status: The mediating role of self-efficacy

In this study, it was aimed to determine the relationship between gender role perceptions, self-efficacy and identity status of university students. A total of 324 university students from two state and two foundation universities in Istanbul participated in the study. Personal Information Form, BEM Gender Role Inventory, General Self-Efficacy Scale and Self Identity Objective Measurement Scale were administered online. The data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 22 program. Spearman Correlation coefficient was used to determine the relationships between the variables in the study. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to determine whether gender role perception and self-efficacy predicted identity statuses. It was found that gender role perception contributed statistically in explaining successful identity status. In this context, when the findings are analyzed, it can be said that masculine role perception has more effect on successful identity status than feminine role perception. When the effect of gender roles on moratorium identity status is analyzed, it is seen that feminine role perception is significant. Similarly, it was found that feminine role perception had a significant contribution in explaining the mortgaged identity status. Self-efficacy was found to have a statistically significant contribution in explaining successful identity status, moratorium identity status and turmoil identity status, while it was found to have no statistically significant contribution in explaining mortgaged identity status. In addition, mediation analysis was conducted according to Baron and Kenny's (1986) mediation analysis steps to determine the mediating role of self-efficacy in the relationship between gender role perception and identity statuses. When the research findings were examined, it was found that there were statistically significant relationships between individuals' gender role perceptions, self-efficacy beliefs and identity statuses. When the mediation analysis was analyzed, it was observed that self-efficacy assumed a partial mediating role in the relationship between gender role perceptions and identity statuses. As self-efficacy increases, the level of influence of gender role perception on successful identity status decreases. Similarly, as self-efficacy increases, the negative effect of masculine role perception on chaotic identity status decreases. In this context, it is understood that individuals' gender role perceptions and self-efficacy are related and have a significant effect on the process of identity development. Therefore, it is thought that adopting an egalitarian attitude towards the gender framework from childhood and developing children's self-efficacy in this direction contribute to the identity development process. Keywords: Gender Role, Self-Efficacy, Identity Statues.