Scott, Helen (2009) Highways to hope: The Relationship between Identity Styles and Hope. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
The aims of this study were to investigate the contributions of identity style, age and gender and to hope, and to examine the relationships amount these variables. Participants were 465 individuals (111 males and 354 females), between 18 and 65. The Identity Style Inventory (ISI3) was used to asses the participants identity styles (Berzonsky, 1992). Hope was measured by the Adult Dispositional Hope Scale (Snyder, Harris, Anderson, Holleran, Irving, Sigmon, et al., (1991). The measures were included in questionnaire package completed via the web by participants. A hierarchical regression analysis revealed hope was significantly and positively correlated with the informational identity style. Conversely, hope was significantly and negatively correlated with the diffuse-avoidant processing style. The normative processing style was not significantly correlated with hope in any direction. Commitment was significantly and positively correlated with hope. The informational identity style and commitment were both significantly and positively correlated with age. Both the normative and diffuse-avoidant processing styles were significantly and negatively correlated with age. Hope was significantly and positively correlated with age. Gender was weakly correlated with diffuse-avoidant processing style. The correlation between gender and hope was not significant. Future research might benefit from differentiating between the age and path ways subscale to test significance of a bidimensional approach. Research could investigate a combination approach utilising the ISI3 and the hope scale in therapeutic settings to benefit the development and maintenance of the client’s and the motivation and pathways to maintain goals. This research has established that identity processing styles provide a valuable guide to predicting the type of style which is most likely to generate hopeful thinking. This study has contributed to research in a previously unexplored dimension and has extended knowledge regarding identity processing styles, aging, gender and hope.
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| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours) |
|---|---|
| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Current UniSQ staff and students can request access to this thesis. Please email research.repository@unisq.edu.au with a subject line of SEAR thesis request and provide: Name of the thesis requested and Your name and UniSQ email address |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Historic - Faculty of Sciences - Department of Psychology (Up to 30 Jun 2013) |
| Supervisors: | Passmore, Nola |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Science (Honours) (Psychology) |
| Date Deposited: | 16 Mar 2026 01:52 |
| Last Modified: | 16 Mar 2026 01:52 |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1799 Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 179999 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified |
| Fields of Research (2020): | 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5299 Other psychology > 529999 Other psychology not elsewhere classified |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52742 |
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