DEVELOPMENTAL PRECURSORS OF IDENTITY STYLES FORMATION AND ITS IMPLICATIONS ON YOUNG ADULTS’ ADJUSTMENT IN THE UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS, NIGERIA

Abstract

Transition and adjustment to university presents young adults with considerable academic, social and emotional challenges owing to their unstable sense of identity, linked to the influences interacting variables within their social environment. In the light of this, the study investigated developmental precursors of identity styles formation and its implications on young adults’ adjustment in the University of Lagos, Nigeria. The study adopted mixed method explorative sequential design. The population of the study comprised of all undergraduates in the University of Lagos. Random and purposeful sampling procedure was used respectively to select 200 undergraduates and four (4) counselors involved for this study. Structured questionnaire and KII guide were research instruments used for data collection. The structured questionnaire recorded: r=0.888, 0.761, 0.937, 0.886 and 0.774 for developmental precursors using Crombach Alpha technique. The KII was analysed using thematic analysis. The study revealed that developmental precursors reliably predicted identity styles formation of the young adults which had profound effects on their adjustment. The study concludes that diminishing family values, structures and social relationships resulted in the use of maladaptive coping identity styles making it difficult for students’ adjustment in the university. It was therefore recommended that parents must play an active role as reflective agents in their children’s development as major part of which is identity formation. Parents need to deliberately reassess their parental roles and choose the environment for their children carefully that will provide them with a vision of their aspirations will in turn have an impact on their adjustment in the university.