OBJECTIVES: The current study evaluated the mediational role of well-being in the relationship between identity development and psychosocial functioning. METHOD: A sample of 7,649 undergraduate students (73% female; mean age = 19.95, standard deviation = 1.98; 62% Caucasian) completed measures of personal identity, well-being, internalizing symptoms, externalizing problems, and health-risk behaviors. RESULTS: Results revealed that (a) identity exploration and commitment were negatively associated with internalizing symptoms, health-risk behaviors, and externalizing problems through well-being, (b) ruminative exploration was negatively associated with well-being and positively associated with externalizing problems, and (c) increased levels of ruminative exploration appear more detrimental for men than for women. CONCLUSION: The study shed light on the mechanisms through which identity processes are related to internalizing symptoms, externalizing problems, and health-risk behaviors. The role of well-being in these associations, and the potentially deleterious "side effects" of exploration and commitment appear to suggest new and important directions for identity research.
OBJECTIVES: The current study evaluated the mediational role of well-being in the relationship between identity development and psychosocial functioning. METHOD: A sample of 7,649 undergraduate students (73% female; mean age = 19.95, standard deviation = 1.98; 62% Caucasian) completed measures of personal identity, well-being, internalizing symptoms, externalizing problems, and health-risk behaviors. RESULTS: Results revealed that (a) identity exploration and commitment were negatively associated with internalizing symptoms, health-risk behaviors, and externalizing problems through well-being, (b) ruminative exploration was negatively associated with well-being and positively associated with externalizing problems, and (c) increased levels of ruminative exploration appear more detrimental for men than for women. CONCLUSION: The study shed light on the mechanisms through which identity processes are related to internalizing symptoms, externalizing problems, and health-risk behaviors. The role of well-being in these associations, and the potentially deleterious "side effects" of exploration and commitment appear to suggest new and important directions for identity research.
Authors: S Patricia Chou; Bridget F Grant; Deborah A Dawson; Frederick S Stinson; Tulshi Saha; Roger P Pickering Journal: Drug Alcohol Depend Date: 2005-04-26 Impact factor: 4.492
Authors: Tara W Strine; Kurt Kroenke; Satvinder Dhingra; Lina S Balluz; Olinda Gonzalez; Joyce T Berry; Ali H Mokdad Journal: J Nerv Ment Dis Date: 2009-01 Impact factor: 2.254
Authors: Seth J Schwartz; Wim Beyers; Koen Luyckx; Bart Soenens; Byron L Zamboanga; Larry F Forthun; Sam A Hardy; Alexander T Vazsonyi; Lindsay S Ham; Su Yeong Kim; Susan Krauss Whitbourne; Alan S Waterman Journal: J Youth Adolesc Date: 2010-11-19
Authors: Seth J Schwartz; Sam A Hardy; Byron L Zamboanga; Alan Meca; Alan S Waterman; Simona Picariello; Koen Luyckx; Elisabetta Crocetti; Su Yeong Kim; Aerika S Brittian; Sharon E Roberts; Susan Krauss Whitbourne; Rachel A Ritchie; Elissa J Brown; Larry F Forthun Journal: J Appl Dev Psychol Date: 2015 Jan-Feb
Authors: Ernesta Sofija; Neil Harris; Dung Phung; Adem Sav; Bernadette Sebar Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2020-12-17 Impact factor: 3.390