Longitudinal Associations among Identity Processes and Mental Health in Young Adulthood: The Mediating Role of Social Support.

Emerging adulthood (ages 18-25) is a period of identity exploration, particularly for young adults navigating the transition to post-secondary school. Little is known about how changes in identity exploration may be related to emerging adults' mental health, or the role of social support plays in identity-related processes. In the present study, associations among identity exploration, internalizing symptoms, and perceived social support were examined. Participants included a diverse group of emerging adults (N = 1,125, Mage = 17.96 years) studying at a Canadian university. Random-intercept cross-lagged modeling demonstrated that within-person increases in exploration in breadth predicted fewer depressive symptoms over time, whereas within-person increases in exploration in depth predicted more depressive and anxious symptoms over time. A mediation effect from perceived support from significant other to depressive symptoms via exploration in breadth was also evident. Findings suggest that identity exploratory processes may be developmentally relevant in emerging adulthood, but their implications for mental health may differ. Perceived social support is also meaningfully related to identity exploration and mental health.

Identity Matters for Well-Being: The Longitudinal Associations Between Identity Processes and Well-Being in Adolescents with Different Cultural Backgrounds.

Adolescents' identity processes and their levels of well-being are likely to be intertwined. On the one hand, how adolescents cope with the core developmental task of forming their identity has important implications for their well-being. On the other hand, experiencing a condition of well-being can help adolescents consolidate their identity. This longitudinal study adopted a multidimensional and culturally sensitive perspective to unravel how identity processes (i.e., commitment, in-depth exploration, and reconsideration of commitment) in two domains (i.e., educational and interpersonal identity) were developmentally related to multiple indicators of positive well-being (i.e., physical health, subjective, psychological, and social well-being) in adolescents with different cultural backgrounds. Participants were 1396 adolescents (Mage = 15.73, SDage = 1.23, 49.93% females; 20.89% with a migrant background) who completed questionnaires at four-time points across one year. Results of cross-lagged models confirmed the positive reciprocal associations between identity commitment and well-being in all its facets. The nuanced picture of associations of in-depth exploration and reconsideration of commitment with multiple dimensions of well-being highlighted the importance of adopting a multi-dimensional perspective on well-being and a domain-specific approach to identity. Multigroup analyses indicated that the associations between identity commitment in the educational domain and well-being are relevant, especially for adolescents with a migrant background. Overall, this study highlights the centrality of identity processes for adolescents' adaptation and points to a dynamic loop of reciprocal influences at the core of youth positive development.

Body satisfaction of lesbian and bisexual Brazilian women: Indicators of self-esteem, physical appearance perfectionism, and identity processes.

This article examined the association between body satisfaction and sexual identification among lesbian and bisexual women, since these factors help to understand the cultural background of the objectification of female bodies in Latin cultures. Women who identify as lesbian (N = 239) and bisexual (N = 60) completed demographic data and measures of self-esteem, physical appearance perfectionism, lesbian and bisexual identity difficulties, and body satisfaction. We performed a three-stage hierarchical multiple regression to explore how variables relate to body satisfaction. The results suggest that self-esteem plays a key role, explaining 20.4% of the variance in body satisfaction. We discussed the psychosocial and cultural aspects involved in the relationship between the variables, and social and aesthetic pressures on women's bodies. This study contributes to discussions on psychosocial aspects associated with body satisfaction among Brazilian lesbian and bisexual women.

Older Canadians' Identity and Well-Being in Retirement.

Retirement can be a time of identity disruption for many older adults. Identity process theory (Whitbourne et al., 2002) states that age-related changes, such as retirement, can prompt an individual to incorporate new information about themselves into their personal identity using one of three identity process: assimilation, accommodation, and balance. Additionally, individual identity and the manner in which individuals retire-voluntary or involuntary-are associated with post-retirement well-being (Newton et al., 2018). The current study examined the relationship between identity processes, planned/unplanned retirement, and hedonic (life satisfaction) and eudaimonic (meaning in life) well-being in a sample of retired Canadians. Results indicated that identity accommodation and balance were associated with both types of post-retirement well-being, whereas unplanned retirement was consistently only related to life satisfaction. This study emphasizes the importance of including individual difference factors when examining older adults' well-being and the utility of measuring well-being in multiple ways.

Inequalities and identity processes in crises: Recommendations for facilitating safe response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Structural inequalities and identity processes are pivotal to understanding public response to COVID-19. We discuss how identity processes can be used to promote community-level support, safe normative behaviour, and increase compliance with guidance. However, we caution how government failure to account for structural inequalities can alienate vulnerable groups, inhibit groups from being able to follow guidance, and lead to the creation of new groups in response to illegitimate treatment. Moreover, we look ahead to the longitudinal impacts of inequalities during pandemics and advise government bodies should address identity-based inequalities to mitigate negative relations with the public and subsequent collective protest.

Validation of the Arabic and Hebrew versions of the Utrecht-Management of Identity Commitments Scale (U-MICS).

INTRODUCTION: The Utrecht-Management of Identity Commitments Scale (U-MICS; Crocetti, Rubini, & Meeus, 2008) is a self-report scale that can be applied to measure three identity processes (commitment, in-depth exploration, and reconsideration of commitment) in specific domains. The current study was aimed at testing the applicability of the U-MICS in two new languages: Arabic and Hebrew. Specifically, we (a) tested the fit of the three-factor structure; (b) examined measurement invariance of the Arabic and Hebrew versions; and (c) investigated convergent validity by relating the identity processes (commitment, in-depth exploration, and reconsideration of commitment) to multiple indicators of psychosocial adjustment (self-esteem, prosocial behaviors, and delinquency). METHODS: Participants were 314 Arab and 386 Jewish adolescents living in Israel (N = 770; 54.7% girls; Mage = 13.79, SDage = 0.51, age-range = 12-15). Assessments of identity processes, self-esteem, and delinquency were collected using self-report measures, while prosocial behaviors were measured through peer nominations. RESULTS: The results highlighted that (a) the three-factor model fit the data excellently in the total sample as well as in Arab and Jewish samples; (b) hierarchical levels of measurement invariance (configural, metric, and scalar), as well as invariance of covariances, could be clearly established; and (c) convergent validity was demonstrated by showing meaningful associations between identity processes and indicators of psychosocial functioning. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that the U-MICS is a reliable instrument for assessing identity processes in Arabic and Hebrew-speaking adolescents.

Searching for Autonomy before the Transition to Higher Education: How do Identity and Self-Determined Academic Motivation Co-Evolve?

Identity and academic motivation are particularly at stake before the major transition to higher education. However, few studies have explored their changes and their longitudinal bidirectional links. To fill this gap, a three-wave study from the end of the 11th grade to the end of the 12th grade was conducted to explore changes in identity processes and academic motivation and to investigate how they might be interconnected over time. 599 adolescents (mean age 17.4; 59% girls) completed questionnaires containing measures about identity processes and three types of academic motivation: autonomous, controlled, and impersonal. Throughout the study span of one year, four identity processes increased: commitment making, identification with commitment, exploration in breadth and exploration in depth, while the process of ruminative exploration decreased. Simultaneously, late adolescents encountered an increase in impersonal motivation, more salient for boys. The results also revealed unidirectional links from motivation to identity processes, with no gender or age moderator effects: exploration in breadth and exploration in depth were positively predicted by autonomous motivation, ruminative exploration was positively predicted by autonomous, controlled, and impersonal motivation. In addition, impersonal motivation negatively predicted commitment making. On the other hand, identification with commitment positively predicted autonomous motivation. Practical implications are discussed.

Further insight into adolescent personal identity statuses: Differences based on self-esteem, family climate, and family communication.

INTRODUCTION: During adolescence, youngsters are faced with the challenging task of forming an identity. This process can be either supported or hindered by adolescents' family context. The present study used a six-process model of personal identity including the five identity processes described by the dual-cycle model of identity (exploration in breadth, commitment making, exploration in depth, identification with commitment, and ruminative exploration) as well as a sixth identity process of reconsideration of commitment, commonly described in the three-factor model of identity. In the current investigation, we sought to evaluate how adolescents in identity statuses derived from this six-process model differed based on psychological adjustment, perceived family climate, and family communication. METHOD: A total of 1105 Swiss adolescents (Mage = 15.08; 51% female) completed self-report questionnaires at one time point. Using a person-centered approach, identity statuses were empirically derived and unique profiles for each identity status were identified. RESULTS: We identified six identity statuses: Achievement, Foreclosure, Ruminative Moratorium, Reconsidering Achievement, Troubled Diffusion, and Carefree Diffusion. Statuses with the highest degree of commitment showed the most optimal profiles of psychological adjustment and perceived family climate, whereas those with the lowest levels of commitment demonstrated the least optimal profiles. Adolescents in the Reconsidering Achievement status, however, reported high levels of both parental support and psychological control. CONCLUSION: The use of the six-process model of identity allowed for the derivation of six identity statuses and provided further insight into how adolescents in different identity statuses confront identity-related issues in the context of their family.

Identity Structure and Processes in Adolescence: Examining the Directionality of Between- and Within-Person Associations.

Developing a stable and coherent identity structure (i.e., a synthesized sense of self that can support self-directed decision making) represents a lifelong task. A person's identity structure is continually revised through ongoing processes of identity exploration and commitment. However, longitudinal studies linking identity structure to identity processes are largely lacking. The present three-wave longitudinal study among 530 Flemish high school students [50.6% female; Mage = 15; SD = 1.85; age range = 11-19 years] examined the directionality of both between- and within-person associations linking identity synthesis and confusion to identity exploration and commitment processes. Between-person cross-lagged models indicated that adolescents who scored high on identity synthesis relative to their peers also scored high on proactive exploration and commitment processes, and low on ruminative exploration one year later, again relative to their peers. Adolescents who scored high on identity confusion relative to their peers also scored high on ruminative exploration one year later, again relative to their peers. With respect to effects of identity processes on identity structure, adolescents who scored high on identification with commitment relative to their peers also scored low on identity confusion one year later. Within-person cross-lagged models indicated that, when adolescents scored high on identity synthesis relative to their own average score, they reported increased proactive exploration processes one year later. In general, reaching a degree of identity synthesis appears to represent a prerequisite for proactive identity exploration at both the between- and within-person levels.

A Culturally Sensitive Approach to the Relationships between Identity Formation and Religious Beliefs in Youth.

Youth encounter issues of religion in the process of identity formation. However, most prior studies have focused on Christian youth in Western counties. This study examined the relationship between identity formation and religious beliefs in the Eastern national context where Buddhism and non-institutional folk religions are prevalent. Participants were 969 Japanese youth (51.3% female; Mage = 20.1). Both literal and symbolic religious beliefs were included and both a variable- and person-oriented approach were used based on the three-factor identity model. The results from the variable-oriented approach (i.e., identity processes) demonstrated that identity commitment was positively associated with literal religious beliefs, whereas reconsideration of commitment was positively associated with both literal and symbolic religious beliefs. Findings from the person-oriented approach (i.e., identity statuses) confirmed these results. Overall, this study highlights the importance of religious beliefs in the process of identity formation among youth in an Eastern national context.

Identity processes and clusters in individuals with and without pathological buying.

The present study investigated the association between pathological buying (PB) and identity processes and clusters. Forty-one patients with PB and 41 gender/age-matched controls (73% females) filled out the Dimensions of Identity Development Scale (DIDS), the Pathological Buying Screener, and self-report questionnaires to assess comorbid psychopathology, such as depressive symptoms, pathological internet shopping, and hoarding (excluding acquisition). Patients with PB reported significantly higher scores on ruminative exploration and lower scores on identity commitment processes compared to healthy controls. In the total sample, as well as in the PB sample, we identified four identity clusters: troubled diffusion, moratorium, foreclosure, and achievement, similar to Marcia's identity statuses. Patients with PB were overrepresented in the troubled diffusion cluster and less represented in the foreclosure and achievement clusters. Patients with PB in the troubled diffusion cluster scored significantly higher on PB, pathological internet shopping, hoarding, and depressive symptoms as compared to patients with PB in the other clusters. Based on these findings, we can conclude that patients with identity diffusion report more severe PB and related comorbid symptomatology. PB and related symptoms may be considered as coping strategies to deal with identity-related issues.

Vocational identity and psychological adjustment: a study in French adolescents and emerging adults.

The aim of the present research was to study vocational identity in French adolescent and emerging adult students by using a French adaptation of the Vocational Identity Status Assessment (VISA), and to analyze the links between vocational identity formation and negative and positive psychological adjustment. Participants were 1077 French students who completed self-report scales about vocational identity, depression and satisfaction with life. The French version of the VISA showed good psychometric properties and six identity statuses were derived by means of cluster analysis: achievement, foreclosure, moratorium, searching moratorium, diffused diffusion and carefree diffusion. The main findings show that diffused diffusion and moratorium represent the dark sides of identity because of their negative psychological adjustment, and that the two processes of reconsideration of commitment were differently associated with psychological adjustment. These findings demonstrate that clinical interventions should be adapted to the individual's identity profile.

The Causal Ordering of Prominence and Salience in Identity Theory: An Empirical Examination.

Identity theory invokes two distinct but related concepts, identity salience and prominence, to explain how the organization of identities that make up the self impacts the probability that a given identity is situationally enacted. However, much extant research has failed to clearly distinguish between salience and prominence, and their empirical relationship has not been adequately investigated, impeding a solid understanding of the significance and role of each in a general theory of the self. This study examines their causal ordering using three waves of panel data from 48 universities focusing on respondents' identities as science students. Analyses strongly support a causal ordering from prominence to salience. We provide theoretical and empirical grounds to justify this ordering while acknowledging potential variation in its strength across identities. Finally, we offer recommendations about the use of prominence and salience when measures of one or both are available or when analyses use cross-sectional data.

Representações e identidades na velhice: modos de ver e viver o envelhecimento

Como resposta às novas demandas geradas pelo envelhecimento populacional, no Brasil e no mundo, cresceram o interesse científico pela velhice e a preocupação pelo bem-estar social, econômico e psicológico do idoso. A inserção do velho na sociedade, mais do que uma meta a ser buscada, deve ser diretriz dos programas voltados para a velhice, cuja formulação não pode prescindir da participação de quem envelhece. A psicologia social tem papel importante na defesa dos direitos humanos de grupos minoritários e vem contribuindo na solução de muitas questões psicossociais. Nessa direção, desenvolveu-se o presente trabalho que objetivou conhecer a velhice, na interface entre o subjetivo e social, pelo levantamento de suas representações. Foram entrevistadas 51 idosas ativas (de 60 a 92 anos), e sete jovens (de 18 a 27 anos), de classe média e residentes em João Pessoa/PB. Os dados indicaram a predominância, nos dois grupos, de representações negativas da velhice, ancoradas em idéias de doença, declínio físico e psíquico e perdas sociais. Nas jovens, essas representações objetivaram-se em angústia frente a sua velhice futura; nas idosas, objetivaram-se em rejeição à velhice e na negação da identidade que lhes é imposta pela sociedade. Prevaleceu a representação de que múltiplos fatores atuam no envelhecimento e que a idade cronológica, por si só, não é critério para sua demarcação. Houve consenso sobre a existência de discriminação da velhice no país; entretanto poucas idosas admitiram ter sofrido preconceito. Preponderou a representação de que a velhice bem-sucedida resulta da interação entre fatores biológicos, psicológicos e sociais; todavia o suporte sócio-afetivo, objetivado pelo amor, cuidados e atenção, foi o fator prioritário. Considerou-se que, que o conjunto dos dados oferece subsídios à implantação de programas multiprofissionais de promoção do envelhecimento ativo com inclusão da pessoa idosa na sociedade. (AU)

As a response to new demands brought about by aging both in Brazil and in the world as a whole, the scientific interest for this issue concerning the old person social, economic and psychologic well-being. The inclusion of the aging in society, rather than an aim has had to become programs and public policies cannot do without the participation of these subjects. Social Psychology has developed an outstanding role in the defense of human rights of minorities and has added to the solving of many psychosocial matters. This work has the goal of adding to the knowledge of old age and the aging process.51 active aging people were interviewed (60/92 years old) and seven young subjects (18 to 27) of the medium class of João Pessoa/PB. Data indicate the predominance in both groups of negative representations of old age and aging, rooted in ideas of illness, physical decline and losses both social and biological. Amongst the young, these representations of rejection appear under the form of unquietness as to their own process in the future. Amongst the older the denial and avoidance of the identity imposed by society to them prevailed. Many triggering factors are considered when thinking about action and upon aging and chronological age is not a unique criterium for its delimitation. There is consensus about the existence of discrimination of the old in the country: however not many admitted having been victims of prejudice. The prevailing representation is that a well off aging results of the interaction between biological, psychological and social factors; however, the social and affective bonds are prioritary amongst these, under the form and expression of loving care and attention. We consider that set of data offers important elements as guidance to multiprofessional programs aiming at the promotion of active aging subjects as valued members of society. (AU)