Gender Differences in Identity Formation

The primary purpose of this study was to examine the gender differences in adolescent identity formation across the four identity statuses (identity achievement, moratorium, foreclosure and diffusion). The participants were comprised of 200 girls and 200 boys of age ranging between 15-17 years from the urban schools of Patiala. The study was conducted using the Extended Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status-2 (EOMEIS-2) by Bennion and Adams, 1986. The t-test analysis conducted between both the genders and the four identity statuses revealed significant gender differences across all the four identity statuses. Also, the mean scores illustrated that girls were high on identity achievement and foreclosure as compared to boys and the boys were high on identity diffusion and moratorium in comparison to girls. The study contributed to Indian literature in adolescent identity formation by exploring four statuses and gender differences in adolescents which helped in throwing light on the current scenario of Punjab.