Family identification: a beneficial process for young adults who grow up in homes affected by parental intimate partner violence

Abstract

Exposure to parental intimate partner violence (parental IPV) is a complex trauma. Research within social psychology establishes that identification with social groups impacts positively on how we appraise, respond to and recover from traumatic events. IPV is also a highly stigmatized social phenomenon and social isolation is a major factor for families affected by IPV, yet strong identification with the family group may act as a beneficial psychological resource to young people who grew up in homes affected by IPV. The current study, an online survey of 355 students (M age = 20, 70% female), investigated if a psychosocial process, specifically identification with the family, may influence the relationship between the predictor, exposure to parental IPV, and outcomes, global self-esteem and state anxiety. Mediation analysis suggests that identification with the family has a positive influence on the relationship between exposure to parental IPV and psychological outcomes; exposure to parental IPV results in reduced family identification, but when family identification is strong it results in both reduced anxiety and increased self-esteem for young people. The findings highlight the importance of having a strong sense of belonging to the extended family for young people who were exposed to parental IPV, thus has implications for prevention, intervention, and social policy.

Longitudinal associations between family identification, loneliness, depression, and sleep quality

“…These results also extend research exploring the important relationship between family identification and well-being (Naughton et al, 2015;Sani et al, 2012Sani et al, , 2017Wakefield et al, 2016. Specifically, the findings from the present study show how experiencing identification with one's family can be a buffer to loneliness and its detrimental mental health effects, which in turn supports better sleep.…”

“…For most individuals, the family is the 'first group': the one with which they are likely to experience most contact (Elliott & Umberson, 2004). Additionally, Naughton, O'Donnell, and Muldoon (2015) showed the protective effects that family identification can have on the mental health of young people who witness intimate partner violence. Additionally, Naughton, O'Donnell, and Muldoon (2015) showed the protective effects that family identification can have on the mental health of young people who witness intimate partner violence.…”

“…Numerous studies have highlighted the important relationship between family identification and health/ well-being: Bowe (2011), Sani, Herrera, Wakefield, Boroch, andGulyas (2012), and reported a positive relationship between family identification and mental well-being cross-sectionally, and this relationship persists longitudinally (Wakefield, Sani, Herrera, Khan, & Dugard, 2016). Additionally, Naughton, O'Donnell, and Muldoon (2015) showed the protective effects that family identification can have on the mental health of young people who witness intimate partner violence. Moreover, Sani, Wakefield, Herrera, and Zeybek (2017) showed a negative association between family identification and paranoid ideation in non-clinical individuals.…”

The social psychology of responses to trauma: social identity pathways associated with divergent traumatic responses

“…This assertion was explored in a study that assessed the impact of exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) on young people's global self-esteem and anxiety (N = 355, Naughton, O'Donnell, & Muldoon, 2015). As expected, exposure to parental IPV was associated with decreased levels of self-esteem and increased levels of anxiety.…”

On the Association Between Greater Family Identification and Lower Paranoid Ideation Among Non-Clinical Individuals: Evidence From Cypriot and Spanish Students

“…For instance, Sani, Herrera, Wakefield, Boroch, and Gulyas (2012) found a negative association between family identification and depression, satisfaction with life, and perceived stress in a community sample of Polish people, while Sani et al (2015b) recruited a large Scottish community sample and found family identification to contribute to lower odds of being depressed. Furthermore, Naughton, O'Donnell, and Muldoon (2015) found that greater identification with the extended family in young adults was related to a reduction in the detrimental effects of exposure to parental intimate partner violence on anxiety and self-esteem. Finally, Swartzman, Sani, and Munro (2016) found a negative association between family identification and post-traumatic stress among cancer survivors, while Miller et al (2015) found that high school pupils with greater levels of family identification experienced lower levels of psychological distress.…”