Ego-Identity Status as Related to Manifest Anxiety: A Study on Undergraduate Female Students of Rajshahi University

Abstract

The present study was an empirical investigation of the relationship between ego identity status and manifest anxiety. Three dimensions of ego identity-total, ideological and interpersonal and four identity statuses were considered in this study. The study consisted of two phases. In the first phase an objective measure of ego identity status (EOMEIS-2) was administered on a randomly selected sample of 500 undergraduate female students of Rajshahi University. The score of each subject was computed separately for total, ideological and interpersonal identity scale. Then the subjects were classified into four identity statuses-Diffusion, Foreclosure, Moratorium and Achievement on the basis of their obtained score on total, ideological and interpersonal identity scale separately. Finally 200 subjects (50 from each status) were selected on the basis of the score on total identity, 200 subjects (50 from each status) ware selected on the basis of the score on ideological identity and 200 subjects (50 from each status) on the basis • of the score on interpersonal identity. In the second phase Taylor's Manifest Anxiety Scale was administered on all the selected subject and their scores were computed separately. In order to analyses the relationship between ego identity status and manifest anxiety. Comparisons were made among the four identity statuses for total, ideological and interpersonal identity separately on the basis of the scores on manifest anxiety scale employing F-test and t-test. In the results, the intensity of anxiety was found to be significantly higher in diffused group than achieved, moratorium and foreclosed status groups in case of total identity. The results also indicate that foreclosed group expressed manifest anxiety significantly higher in intensity as compared to the moratorium and achieved status groups. The intensity of anxiety was also found to be significantly higher in moratorium status group than in identity achieved group. But no significant difference was found between the intensity of anxiety in foreclosed and diffused groups. Similar results ware found in case of ideological and interpersonal identity. Thus the results of the study suggest that the intensity of anxiety was highest in diffused and foreclosed status individuals as compared to individuals in other statuses. The results also suggest that the intensity of anxiety was lowest in identity achieved group among the four status groups. From the results of the study it may be concluded that there a significant relationship between ego identity status and manifest anxiety.