Optimism and self-esteem in teenager girls: The role of identity styles

The purpose of the current study is to determine the process of transformation of identity style among 12 to 18 years old girls and its relationship with optimism and self esteem. Method of research was ex-post factor design and 138 students from first grade of guidance school to four grades of high school in Bojnourd City were selected through multistage random sampling and completed three scales: Berzonskey`s identity style inventory (1992), Rosenberg self esteem questionnaire (1967) and Scheier and et all's life orientation questionnaire (1994). Descriptive statistic and ANOVA were used for data analysis. Findings indicated that the girls with informative identity style had the higher score in optimism and self esteem than other two identity styles. Also other findings revealed that although the rate of optimism in girls in different ages has no significant difference but there is a significant difference in optimism among three identity styles in girls. The interaction effect of age and identity style had a significant difference with optimism and self esteem in girls. The results showed that the optimism and self esteem score of girls with informative identity style had a descending trend at the first year of guidance school and ascending in the last year of guidance school as a result of age increasing. But, girls with normative and diffusive/avoidant identity style had a descending trend in optimism and self esteem in last years of high school. So it seems necessary to consider specific counseling strategies for the girls in the last years of guidance school and high school.