Who am I God?: An examination of the role of Belief in God in the Identity Development of young adults

Recently theory has proposed that Belief in God plays a significant role in Identity development by facilitating identity exploration and the resolution of identity crises (King, 2003). The intersections of Identity development and Belief in God are particularly important to understand in young adults because (1) this is the developmental period when Identity development begins; and (2) Belief in God is prevalent among college students. However, researchers have not empirically examined the theorized relationship between Belief in God and Identity. Therefore, this study sought to begin to understand and explain (through empirical research) the relationship between Belief in God and Identity development in young adults.;A sample of 306 young adults enrolled in private, four-year post-secondary education institutions in New England completed questionnaires measuring their reasons for Belief in God and their current Identity Status. Findings from the study indicate that: (1) these young adults have average levels of Belief in God across each of the six reasons for Belief in God measured in this study, regardless of age or gender; (2) these young adults tend to function from a transition Diffuse-Foreclosure Identity status; (3) Belief in God has an impact on the Identity of these young adults; (4) Age and gender do not appear to impact the relationship between Belief in God and Identity; and (5) Comprehensive models explaining the relationships between Belief in God and each of the Identity statuses measured in this study, indicated that Belief in God is a significant predictor of both the Moratorium and Achieved Identity statuses. Overall, results from the study provide empirical support for the theoretical link between Belief in God and Identity development, and further suggest that Belief in God impacts Identity Development more by aiding in the resolution of Identity crises than by facilitating the exploration process.