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CORRELATION OF IDENTITY AND ANXIETY

Abstract
The life of a scholar is indeed a noble one. We entered the University of the Philippines without any hint
of what we were getting ourselves into. Only to discover quite early that describing the college life as
difficult is a massive understatement of what our experience is and will be in the years to come. The
current research captures in essence our current predicament: anxious, confused fed-up. Perhaps, this
may not be true in entirety, but uncontestable empirical evidence proves majority feel similarly. And as we
trudge our ways through Hell Week, we pray that nobility merits blessings. Such blessings can only come
from a man of sheer veracity; moreover, a man of altruism, wisdom, and superior knowledge of the
English language. Who can that be? Well, I speak on behalf of everyone, that we enjoyed being your
student Sir Villar. We are grateful of the knowledge of the APA you leave behind us. And as we bid
farewell, I end this abstract of pointless content.
Keywords: personal identity, state-trait anxiety, interruption theory, identity theory, correlation

CORRELATION OF IDENTITY AND ANXIETY

A Correlation of Identity and State-Trait Anxiety of UP Students

Erikson (as cited in Crocetti, Klimstra, Keijsers, Hale, & Meeus, 2008) writes that the
development of a coherent and organized sense of identity is a key task in adolescence (Introduction
section, para. 1). Current researches on social stress, however, reflect a stigma in status quos excessive
demands and pressures from the abundance of identities that individuals maintain (Burke, 1991, p. 836).
Thus, this development in society makes it critical that awareness about the adolescents identity
dynamics and incidence of anxiety is of premium.
The most compelling knowledge concerning the relationship of identity and anxiety is shown
through a relationship between the interruption theory and identity theory. Burke (1991) explains:
Social stress can be understood by incorporating interruption theory as developed in research on
stress into a model of identity processes drawn from identity theory. From this perspective, social
stress results from interruption of the feedback loop that maintains identity processes. I discuss
four mechanisms of interruption of identity processes: broken identity loops, interference between
identity systems, over-controlled identity systems, and the invocation of episodic identities. Each
of these four mechanisms is associated with conditions known to produce feelings of distress.
(p.836)
Identity as conceptualized in the research is seen as a form of personal identity. Personal identity
or self-concept consists of certain universal human tendencies, traits, behavioral elements or capacities
(Spencer, Brookins, & Allen, 1987, p. 157). This set of meanings that individuals uphold works as points
of references for individuals definition of self (Burke, 1991, p.837).
Inspection of students of anxiety is of core concepts of state and trait anxiety. State anxiety is
explained as a transitory emotional state or condition of human organism (Spielberger, Gorsuch, &
Lushene, 1970, p.3). Furthermore, trait anxiety refers to the relatively stable individual differences in
1

anxiety proneness (Spielberger et. al, 1970, p.3). Hence, anxiety becomes a combination of mental and
affective responses characterized by apprehension or distress (Schlenker & Leary, 1982, p. 641).
As the approach to identity and anxiety is causative in nature, the current research aims to see if
the theories remain consistent and relevant by analyzing the relationship of levels of identity and degrees
of anxiety measured of students of the University of the Philippines.

CORRELATION OF IDENTITY AND ANXIETY

Method
Respondents
Respondents of the research were randomly sampled from the students of the University of the
Philippines, Diliman, Manila, and Los Baos respectively. A total of 120 respondents of freshmen (n = 60,
30 males, 30 females) and seniors (n = 60, 30 males, 30 females) participated. For the pilot rating values,
two freshmen (1 male, 1 female) and two seniors (1 male, 1 female) were requested in participation
thereof.
Instruments
Cheek and Briggss (2013) the Aspects of Identity Questionnaire (AIQ-IV) is a multidimensional
self-evaluative identity questionnaire designed to measure four identity orientations of which personal
identity (PI) was the only scope in the study. This comprised of 10 items from which responses varied on
a 5-point scale (1 = Not important to my sense of who I am and 5 = Extremely important to my sense of
who I am). The scores ranged from 10-50, which suggested better personal identity as the score
approached 50.
In lieu of the study, Spielberge, Gorsuche, Lushene, Vagg, and Jacobs (1968) State-Trait Anxiety
for Adults (STAI-AD) was used to measure respondents levels of anxiety. The STAI-AD is also a self2

evaluative questionnaire, which consists of 20 questions for each the two types of anxiety (i.e. A-State
3

and A-Trait). Anxiety was measured on a 4-pont scale (1 = not at all and 4 = very much so), which in
summation ranged from 20-80. Similarly, anxiety increased as the score approached the upper limit.
Procedure
A cross-sectional survey, which consisted of the AIQ-IV and the STAI-AD, was created in Google
Forms. This was distributed through social media platforms like Facebook, and spanned from February
23 March 28, 2014. Responses collected were recorded automatically in a Google spreadsheet. The
scoring details were manually edited using Microsoft Excel (version 2013). And the data collected was
processed through Microsoft Office Excel (version 2007).

CORRELATION OF IDENTITY AND ANXIETY

Results
An analyses of the respondents conditions showed levels of personal identity M = 3.80 (SD =
.51) and anxiety M = 2.93 (SD = .67). The calculated Pearson correlation coefficient determined a weak
but positive correlation between identity and anxiety, r(119) = .05, p < .59.
The results of the study also showed that a students sex or years of stay in the university didnt
affect the personal identity. However, data established showed that students years of stay in the school
significantly affected their state of anxiety, but their sex did not.
Firstly, freshmen (n = 60) showed to have a relatively lower personal identity M = 3.79 (SD = .53)
compared to the seniors (n = 60) mean score M = 3.81 (SD = .49). A sample t-test revealed, however that
there is insignificant difference between the freshmen and seniors, t(59) = .18, p = .42. The research also
revealed that males (n = 60) had lower personal identity M = 3.73 (SD = .44) than their female
counterparts (n = 60) with a higher mean score M = 3.86 (SD = .44). A t-test revealed that there was
insignificant difference, t(59) = 1.43, p = .07.
The levels of anxiety computed for the freshmen M = 2.44 (SD = .61) were lower in comparison to
the mean score of the seniors M = 3.41 (SD = .24). The t-test conducted showed that there was
significant difference between the freshmen and the seniors, t(59) = 11.3, p < .001. Males were shown to
have lower levels of anxiety M = 2.84 (SD = .69) compared to the females M = 2.94 (SD = .69). Another ttest showed a significance of the difference on the anxiety levels between the two sexes, t(59) = .90, p =
.18.
Discussion
The results of the research showed that there exists a weak but positive correlation between the
levels of identity and anxiety among the students of the University of the Philippines. These results are
not ideal in previous studies as established by Crocetti et. al (2008) who discuss that there is significant
relationship between identity and anxiety explained through a 5-year longitudinal study (p. 841). The
research also showed that students sex or years of stay in the university mattered little in their perceived
personal identity. This can be explained by Burke (n.d.), which says that the identity is a series of
processes of significant social events and with little focus on sociocognitive processes (p. 2). Additionally,
the research showed that students sex didnt have significant contribution to ones level of anxiety. This is

CORRELATION OF IDENTITY AND ANXIETY

similar to the normative data presented in a large-scaled study of the STAI (Speilberger et.al, 1970, p. 68). However, the results proved that a students year of stay at the university contributed to their level of
anxiety. This can be accounted to the nature of the STAI-AD questionnaire, which was highly reflexive of
environmental dispositions, meaning that if stress were absent, results would indicate an absence of
anxiety (Spielbereger et. al, 1970, p. 4). This suggested that the environmental conditions of the seniors
of the University of the Philippines were conducive of stress during the period of time.
Because of the nature of the research (i.e., the absence of causative structure of research), it
would be very difficult to infer certain conclusions on how identity and anxiety truly relate in realistic
conditions in status quo.
However, the study was highly reflexive on the importance of assessing processes of identity
formation and anxiety development. This constantly expounded on certain variable traits of students that
influenced relevant aspects of their student life and adaptive natures.

CORRELATION OF IDENTITY AND ANXIETY

References
Crocetti, E., Klimstra, T., Keijers, L., Hale, W. H., III, & Meeus, W. (2008). Anxiety trajectories and identity
development in adolescence: A five-wave longitudinal study. J Youth Adolescence, 38, 839-849.
doi: 10.1007/s10964-008-9302-y
Burke, P.J. (1991). Identity processes and social stress. American Sociological Review, 56(6), 836-849.
Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/2096259
Spencer, M. B., Brookins, G. K., & Allen, W. R. (Eds.). (1987). Black identity: Rediscovering the distinction
between personal identity and reference group orientation. Beginnings: The social and sffective
development

of

black

children

(pp.

155-176).

Retrieved

from

http://www.google.com.ph/books?id=RP_OURMFIpwC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_su
mmary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false
Spielberger, C. D., Gorsuch, R. L., & Lushene, R. E. (1970). STAI manual for the state-trait anxiety
inventory (self-evaluation questionnaire). Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.
Schlenker, B.R., & Leary, M. R. (1982). Social anxiety and self-presentation: A conceptualization and
model. Psychological Bulletin, 92(3), 641-669. doi: 0033-2909/82/9203-0641800.75
Cheek, J. M., & Briggs, S. R. (2013). Aspects of identity questionnaire (AIQ-IV). Measurement Instrument
Database for the Social Science. Retrieved from http://www.midss.ie
Spielberg C. D., Gorsuch, R. L., Lushene, R., Vagg, P. R., Jacobs, G. A. (1968). State-trait Anxiety
inventory for adults. Retrieved from http://www.mindgarden.com
Burke, P.J., & Stets, J. E. (1998). Identity theory and social identity theory. Paper presented at the Social
Psychology Section Session on Theoretical Frameworks at the Annual Meetings of the American
Sociological Association, San Francisco, CA.

CORRELATION OF IDENTITY AND ANXIETY

Footnotes
1

Hence, it is to be expounded that feelings of distress or anxiety are manifestation of interruptions

as established.
2

A-State (State Anxiety) is characterized by feeling of tension and apprehension and heightened

autonomic nervous system activity. (Spielberger et. al, 1970, p. 2)

3

A-Trait (Trait Anxiety) is characteristic of class construct of motives or acquired behavioral

dispositions. (Spielberger, et. al, 1970, p.2)

CORRELATION OF IDENTITY AND ANXIETY

Table 1
Summary of Means and Standard Deviations for Scores on AIQ-IV and STAI-AD of College Students

Respondents

Personal Identity
M
SD

State-Trait Anxiety
M
SD

Freshman
Male

3.79

.53

2.44

.61

Female

3.81

.49

3.41

.24

Male

3.73

.44

2.84

.69

Female

3.86

.55

2.94

.64

Senior

Note. n = 30. The freshmen that participated in the study were students who had a registered student
number of 2013-XXXX from the University of the Philippines system. The seniors that participated in the
study were students who had a registered number of 2010-XXX from the same university campuses
aforementioned. The Aspects of Identity Questionnaire (AIQ-IV) measure is taken from Cheek and Briggs
(2013); the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Adults (STAI-AD) measures are from Spielberger et. al
(1968).

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CORRELATION OF IDENTITY AND ANXIETY

Anxiety

3.5

Mean Value

3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Freshman,
Male

Freshman,
Female

Senior, Male

Senior,
Female

Respondents
Figure 1. Mean values of anxiety representing the average levels of anxiety for each target category.
Varying levels of anxiety are exhibited by each target category, with more significant disparity between
the freshman categories. Standard deviations are presented in the figure bar through the error bars
attached to each column.