Examination of the identity status of adolescents i̇n terms of self-identity graphs

In this study, Ego Identity Status Scale and Repertory Grid Technique were applied to high school adolescents whose mean age is 16. The self-identity graphs of the participants in the 4 identity statuses reached through the Self-Identity Status Scale were examined in line with the data provided by the repertory grid technique. The participants consist of 152 students attending the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grades in three high schools in the central districts of Adana province in the 2017-2018 academic year, where children from families with different socio-economic and socio-cultural levels are educated. IDIOGRID analysis program and SPSS 22 statistical program were used to analyze data. This study was designed in two models as quantitative case analysis and descriptive survey, a quantitative research based on exploration and explanation. Adolescents whose self-identity graphs (SIG) were examined in line with the information provided by the data collected by the repertory grid technique in the study; It is aimed to receal (i) the level of self esteem by calculating the distance between the self and ideal self elements; (ii) the area in which the elements of the repertory grid test are located in the self-identity graphs (acceptance, idealization, conflict, ambivalence) and (iii) the category of self-integration types determined by the distance of the self and ideal self elements from the other elements. According to the findings obtained in the study, it was observed that there is no significant difference in terms of self-esteem levels of adolescents with different identity status. The results may suggest that the identity status of the adolescent may affect the level of self-esteem in a relatively positive way, although not negatively. Since the results of the study reveals that approximately two third of the adolescents in all statuses have low or high self-esteem. According to the findings on how the elements in the repertory grid are positioned in the SIG, participants with achievement and moratorium identity status (other than the normative self element) predominantly fall into the "acceptance" area of the central elements (self, ideal self, and social self) and other (other than someone who negatively affects my life) elements (my mother, father, someone who positively affects my life). It has been concluded that almost all elements of adolescents in these two statuses are positioned in more "ambivalent" areas after the acceptance area. It has been revealed that all the elements of the adolescents in the diffuse identity status (except for the normative self and someone who negatively affects my life) are predominantly located in the "acceptance" area, and after this area, most of the elements are located in the "ambivalent" area. Another observation is that the elements of the adolescents with forclosure identity were not concentrated in one area, but were distributed in similar proportions to the areas of "acceptance", "idealization" and "ambivalent". These results may mean that unlike forclosure adolescents. Aadolescents with successful, moratorium and diffusion identity statuses perceive their current selves (except for the normative self) to be more similar to other central elements and family members when describing their identities. The findings related to self-integration show that, achievement and moratorium identified adolescents show stronger self-integration, but its number is close to those of with weak self-integration. In this sense, the results related to the the research questions related to both status and self-integration states are meaningful, although not very strong. More than half of the adolescents with a diffusione identity show strong self-integration and less than half show weak self-integration; almost half of those with a forclosure identity were found to show poor self-integration. No meaningful results could be reached regarding the research questions put forward about these statuses and integration situations. As a result of examining the relationship between the identity status types of adolescents in terms of the dimensions of the five-factor personality model and the distribution of the personal structures they reveal by being mostly associated with core elements, successful and moratorium status adolescents stated much more positive and negative structures in all dimensions of five-factor personality model than the adolescents in the other two statuses. Although this result meets the expectation that upper identity statuses will be more related to the positive aspects of the five dimensions of five-factor personality model; it did not fully meet the expectation that the personal structures stated by the adolescents in the sub-identity status would mostly be related to the negative aspects of the five dimensions. Keywords: Identity statuses, personal structures, repertory grid technique, self-identity graph, self-esteem, self-integration, five-factor personality model.