Identity development and adjustment during emerging adulthood from a gender perspective.

Identity development is a key task during emerging adulthood. The goals of the present study are to validate the Spanish version of the Dimensions of Identity Development Scale (DIDS) and to explore the relationship between identity dimensions and adjustment (flourishing and distress), from a gender perspective. The sample comprised 1502 Spanish university students (60.1% women). The results reveal that the DIDS is valid in the Spanish context and that significant gender differences were observed in some dimensions of identity development, with men scoring higher for identification with commitment and women scoring higher for exploration in depth and ruminative exploration. Finally, both dimensions of commitment and ruminative exploration had a stronger effect on men's than on women's adjustment, suggesting that the integration of the self has more impact on men's outcomes than on women's. These findings highlight the need to include the gender perspective in all future research in order to gain deeper insight into the relationship between the identity development process and adjustment during emerging adulthood.

Influencia de las relaciones familiares en la presencia de sintomatología clínica durante la adultez emergente / Influence of family relationships on the presence of clinical symptoms during emerging adulthood

La relación entre familia y salud mental ha sido uno de los focos de estudio clave en las investigaciones sobre adultez emergente de la última década. En el presente estudio se analizó la relación entre variables de funcionamiento familiar y la presencia de síntomas clínicos de depresión, ansiedad y estrés durante la adultez emergente en España. Este estudio contó con un diseño transversal y una muestra de 1502 estudiantes de 18-29 años (M= 20,32; DT= 2,13) de dos universidades españolas, que fueron evaluados a través de cuestionarios en papel. Los resultados indican que altos niveles de implicación, cariño y apoyo parental se relacionan con una menor sintomatología clínica, mientras que el control psicológico se relaciona con una mayor sintomatología. Estos hallazgos demuestran la relación que existe entre el funcionamiento familiar y la presencia de síntomas clínicos, así como el papel protector -o de riesgo- que siguen teniendo las relaciones familiares durante esta etapa. (AU)