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Besharat M, Shafiei R, Rahiminezhad A. (2015). The mediating role of children ego strength on the relationship between family functioning and children identity styles . Journal of Psychological Science. 14(55), 321-341.
URL: http://psychologicalscience.ir/article-1-233-en.html

Identity styles are developed based on a number of variables and experiences. Family has an important role on the development of children identity. How and based on what kind of mechanisms family shapes the children identity styles? The present study had two purposes:
1) examining the relationship between family functioning and children identity styles and 2) examining the mediating role of children ego strength on the relationship between family functioning and children identity styles. Two hundred and thirty seven students (123 boys, 114 girls) and their mothers participated in this study. All students were asked to complete the Identity Styles Inventory (ISI) and Ego Strength Scale (ESS). All mothers completed the Family Assessment Device (FAD). The results revealed that family functioning had a significant positive association with ego strength. Children ego strength showed a significant positive association with informational and normative identity styles
(p<0.01) as well as a significant negative association with diffuse/avoidant identity style (p<0.01). The results of path analysis showed that ego strength had a mediating role on the relationships between family functioning and informational identity style. According to the results of the present study, it is concluded that the relationship between family functioning and children identity styles is not a simple one. This relationship is somehow influenced by the mediating role of personality characteristics such as ego strength.