MENTAL HEALTH AND OCCUPATIONAL IDENTITY OF 1ST YEAR AGRONOMY STUDENTS IN LITHUANIA

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between students’ occupational identity statuses and their mental health. A correlation analysis and cluster analysis were performed with a sample of 167 first-year agronomy students in Lithuania. It was expected that a higher statuses of occupational identity will be related to better mental health. Expectations have been fulfilled only for achievement status, indicating that achievement (the highest identity status) is positively related with general and all components of mental health. Moreover, foreclosure identity status also was positively related with general and three components of mental health. In addition, the results indicated that diffusion identity status was negatively related with real evaluation of subjectively perceived mental health. Clustering analysis proposed two profiles: first of students with better mental health and higher achievement and foreclosure statuses, and second cluster for students with poorer mental health and higher diffusion and higher moratorium statuses. Implications of these findings for university counsellors and for faculty are presented.

Keywords: mental health, occupational identity, students.

Article DOI: http://doi.org/10.15544/RD.2015.093