Identity Styles and Identity Distress Among University Students: Role of Coping Strategies

Abstract

University life represents a critical developmental period characterized by significant academic, social, and personal transitions, all of which influence identity formation. This study investigates the relationship between identity styles informational, normative, and diffuse avoidant, identity distress, and the moderating role of coping strategies among university students. Grounded in Berzonsky’s Identity Style Theory. A quantitative correlational design was employed, utilizing standardized instruments: Berzonsky’s Identity Style Inventory (ISI-5), the Identity Distress Survey (IDS), and a multidimensional Coping Scale. A diverse sample of university students was selected through purposive sampling. Data were analyzed using SPSS and PROCESS Macro to conduct correlation, regression, and moderation analyses. Findings revealed that students with a diffuse-avoidant identity style reported significantly higher identity distress, highlighting their tendency to avoid or delay identity-related decisions. Conversely, individuals with an informational identity style also experienced identity distress. The normative style was associated with moderate levels of distress, as students adhering to societal and familial expectations experienced reduced internal conflict but limited personal growth. Importantly, coping strategies moderated the relationship between identity styles and identity distress. Coping buffered the effects of distress, particularly among diffuse-avoidant individuals. The results underscore the importance of fostering self-reflective identity processing and promoting adaptive coping strategies through targeted mental health interventions. This research contributes to the broader understanding of identity development, resilience, and student psychological adjustment, with practical implications for university counselling services and developmental programming.