Identity development in brazilian adolescents / Desenvolvimento da identidade em adolescentes estudantes do ensino médio

Abstract

Identity is composed by values, beliefs and goals to which an individual is committed. There are four states of identity determined according to the exploration of alternatives and the intensity of commitment: diffusion, foreclosure, moratorium and achievement. This work evaluated the identity states of 753 Brazilian adolescents from 15 to 18 years old who study in public schools in the city of São Paulo. They responded to the Extended Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status (EOMEIS 2) a kind of Likert scale that measures states of identity. Most adolescents were in moratorium state. A positive association was identified between the female gender and both the states of moratorium and achievement, as well as, between the first year of high school and foreclosure.

Keywords

• Ego identity
• Adolescence
• EOMEIS 2