The Effects of Working on Adolescent Development

Although the impact of a number of social and psychological effects, such as family, school environment and peers, on adolescents’ self and identity development have been extensively investigated, the role of working on adolescent development has remained largely unexamined. The purpose of the present study was to compare working adolescents and nonworking-students on ego identity-status, self-image, psychological well being and parenting styles. The participants of the study were 199 working adolescents and 292 students from four different high schools and state occupational courses for adolescents. The data were gathered by administering five instruments; the Extended Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status, the Offer Self Image Questionnaire, the Brief Symptom Inventory, the Parenting Styles Questionnaire, and the Demographic Information Form. A series two way analysis of covariance was conducted to assess the differences between working and student adolescents. The findings of this study partially supported the hypothesis. Results indicated that working adolescent reported higher levels of interpersonal and ideological ego identity status especially foreclosure, than students holding constant the age and family income of the participants. In seven subscales of Ego Identity Status, the working adolescent obtained significantly higher scores than the students. Working adolescents, compare to the students, were found to be lower on various domains of self-image such as, family relationship, impulse control and sexual attitude. Finally, working adolescents reported higher levels of somatization, depression, and anxiety and perceived more parental control than the students. The results were discussed within the context of the relevant literature.