Developing and Validating Identity Processing Styles Scale for Iranian High School EFL Teachers: A Mixed Methods Approach

Berzonsky (1990) conceptualized three social-cognitive components of the identity process: an informational or scientific style, normative or dogmatic style, and a diffuse or ad hoc style. Despite the importance of this concept, no previous studies have been conducted to develop and validate the IPS scale to measure this construct as it relates to the EFL settings. Accordingly, the present study aimed at developing and validating a measure that could assess IPS in the EFL context of Iran. To this end, a sequential mixed methods design was conducted in two phases. In the qualitative phase, the researchers reviewed the related literature and conducted semi-structured and focus group interviews with EFL teachers in order to seek out the EFL teachers' perspectives regarding what shapes their identity processing styles. Next, the researchers used the principles of data analysis of the grounded theory to analyze the data. Seven sub-components were initially identified that constitute the Iranian version of identity processing styles model, namely, informational style (analytical/rational thinking), normative style (personal norm thinking, social norm thinking, and religious thinking), and diffuse-avoidant style (pessimistic thinking and optimistic thinking). Finally, to measure the EFL teachers’ identity processing styles, 42 five-point Likert-scale items were developed. Then, the newly-developed instrument was completed by 203 EFL teachers in the higher education context. In the quantitative phase, the IPS scale was tested through different statistical procedures including confirmatory factor analysis and Cronbach alpha for reliability. Statistical results are discussed and implications and applications of the study are explained.