The Relationship Between Identity Styles and Career Indecision Among Iranian Female Adolescents

This study investigated the relationship between identity styles and career indecision among Iranian female adolescents. A total of 126 female high school students aged 15 to 18 completed Farsi versions of the Berzonsky’s Identity Style Questionnaire (ISQ-6G) and the Career Decision Questionnaire (CDQ). Participants’ responses were examined using descriptive statistics and correlational analysis. Our findings demonstrated that both Informative and Normative identity styles were negatively associated with career indecision, whereas Diffuse-Avoidant identity style was positively associated with career indecision. We interpreted the results in the context of Iranian career literature, career development theories, identity formation theories, and the contradicting findings from an earlier study with American counterparts. Finally, we discussed implications for career education and counselling

Uncanny Phenomenon: Existential Experiences among Iranian International Students

As the number of Iranian international students in Canada continues to increase in the light of the recent socio-political unrests in Iran, studying the acculturation experiences of this population has become increasingly important for providing effective counselling. The existing literature on adjustment of international students has been critiqued for pathologizing the acculturation challenges of this population, while neglecting their underlying existential importance. Existential concerns, which reflect individuals’ conflicts with death anxiety, meaninglessness, isolation, and freedom, have been universally identified as a fundamental concern of humanity (Yalom, 1980). Cross-cultural transitions can provoke existential concerns since the challenges of acculturation can often touch on underlying existential meanings. In this study, I conducted semi-structured interviews with six Iranian international students to explore the existential inquiries that arose during acculturation. Interpretative phenomenological analysis (Smith et al., 2009) of participants’ experiences resulted in three overarching themes: (a) Migration as a Boundary Situation, (b) Facing Existential Concerns, and (c) Coping with Existential Concerns. I discuss these findings within the context of acculturation literature and present implications for counsellors and researchers in the field of counselling psychology