Characterizing the Self-System over Time in Adolescence: Internal Structure and Associations with Internalizing Symptoms

Abstract

The longitudinal effects among self and identity processes, and between these processes and internalizing symptoms, are not well understood. As a result, the present study was designed to ascertain the over-time effects among identity commitment, reconsideration of commitments, and self-concept clarity, as well as to map the interplay of these self and identity processes with anxiety and depressive symptoms in early adolescence. A sample of 923 Dutch adolescents (mean age 12.4 years at Time 1; 49.3% female) participated at each of five annual assessments. Multivariate growth curve and cross-lagged panel models indicated that the association between self-concept clarity and commitment was bidirectional, that reconsideration occurs based on problems or dissatisfaction with self-concept clarity and with identity commitments, and that self-concept clarity (but not commitment or reconsideration) temporally precedes depressive and anxiety symptoms. Results are discussed in terms of the structure of the self-system and its associations with internalizing symptoms.

Personal Identity Development in Hispanic Immigrant Adolescents: Links with Positive Psychosocial Functioning, Depressive Symptoms, and Externalizing Problems

“…For example, we know that adaptive identity processes—especially making and identifying with commitments to future life plans—are positively linked with self-esteem and negatively linked with internalizing and externalizing symptoms (Luyckx et al 2006). On the other hand, processes that may facilitate identity confusion, such as ruminating over possible life choices and chronically reconsidering one’s commitments, are predictive of lowered self-esteem and of internalizing and externalizing symptoms (Luyckx et al 2008; Schwartz et al 2012). These parallels between the current findings and those obtained with neo-Eriksonian identity models suggest avenues for intervention, as we discuss below.…”

Toward a Structural Understanding of Identity Formation: A Review and Extension of Theory

“…How do these commitments relate to each other and mutually inform development across domains? Such a focus on the internal structure of identity is important and has been initially spoken to by other authors (Schwartz, Klimstra, Luyckx, Hale, & Meeus, 2012;van Hoof & Raaijmakers, 2003), but it is not my focus in this article. Rather, I focus on identity-related boundaries that frame the identity as a whole.…”

Age‐Specific Associations Between Violence Exposure and Past 30‐Day Marijuana and Alcohol Use

“…The transition from adolescence to adulthood is characterized by numerous challenges (Kessler & Walters, ) and opportunities (Masten, Obradović, & Burt, ) as young adults negotiate new adult roles and responsibilities (Schulenberg, Sameroff, & Cicchetti, ). Relative to adolescents, emerging adults demonstrate more civic engagement, social competence, increased social capital and general life satisfaction (Eccles, Templeton, Barber, & Stone, ; O'Connor et al., ) along with new perspectives on relationships and intimacy (Roisman, Masten, Coatsworth, & Tellegen, ), personal identity (Schwartz, Klimstra, Luyckx, Hale, & Meeus, ), family obligations (Fuligni & Pedersen, ), and work responsibilities (Roisman et al., ). These wide‐ranging transitions suggest possible age specificity in the epidemiology of risk‐taking behavior, and specifically in the environmental impacts on those behaviors.…”