<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Background: Developing a personal identity is a challenging task throughout adolescence and emerging adulthood. In 2006, Luyckx and colleagues developed an identity model differentiating identity formation into exploration and commitment dimensions. Previous studies have documented associations between the identity dimensions and different aspects of mental health.Objective: Based on Luyckx and colleagues five-dimensional identity model, the present study investigated associations between identity dimensions and intra- and interpersonal aspects of mental health.Method: In total, 524 high school students (65 % female; mean age = 18.27; SD = 1.15) participated in a cross-sectional study measuring five identity dimensions and intra- and interpersonal aspects of mental health (depressive symptoms and loneliness). Correlation coefficients were calculated and hierarchical regression analyses were performed.Results: Only two of the five identity dimensions: Identification with Commitment and Ruminative Exploration, were significantly associated with depression. None of the five identity dimensions were associated with loneliness.Conclusions: The findings suggest that the identity dimensions are not specifically associated with feelings of loneliness but that Identification with Commitment and Ruminative Exploration may be key components in the development of depressive symptoms. Future studies exploring the associations of identity dimensions and multiple intra- and interpersonal aspects of mental health are recommended.</abstract>

Background: Developing a personal identity is a challenging task throughout adolescence and emerging adulthood. In 2006, Luyckx and colleagues developed an identity model differentiating identity formation into exploration and commitment dimensions. Previous studies have documented associations between the identity dimensions and different aspects of mental health.Objective: Based on Luyckx and colleagues five-dimensional identity model, the present study investigated associations between identity dimensions and intra- and interpersonal aspects of mental health.Method: In total, 524 high school students (65 % female; mean age = 18.27; SD = 1.15) participated in a cross-sectional study measuring five identity dimensions and intra- and interpersonal aspects of mental health (depressive symptoms and loneliness). Correlation coefficients were calculated and hierarchical regression analyses were performed.Results: Only two of the five identity dimensions: Identification with Commitment and Ruminative Exploration, were significantly associated with depression. None of the five identity dimensions were associated with loneliness.Conclusions: The findings suggest that the identity dimensions are not specifically associated with feelings of loneliness but that Identification with Commitment and Ruminative Exploration may be key components in the development of depressive symptoms. Future studies exploring the associations of identity dimensions and multiple intra- and interpersonal aspects of mental health are recommended.

Identity formation and evaluation in adolescence and emerging adulthood: How is it associated with depressive symptoms and loneliness?

Scandinavian Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Background: Developing a personal identity is a challenging task throughout adolescence and emerging adulthood. In 2006, Luyckx and colleagues developed an...

Variable	Step 1 β	Step 2 β	Step 3 β
Gender	.132^*	.117^*	-.048
Age	.105^*	.089	.042
Living with parents	.080	.109^*	.046
In romantic relationship	.106^*	.097^*	.069
Commitment making		.124	.045
Identification with commitment		-.224^**	-.074
Exploration in breadth		-.020	.001
Exploration in depth		-.038	-.037
Ruminative exploration		.228^**	.027
Depressive symptoms			.656^**
Model R2 (%)	4	14	47
Δ R2 (%)		10^**	33^**
F(df)	F(4,448)=5.02^**	F(9,443)=8.09^**	F(10,442)=39.14^**

Subscale	2	3	4	5	6	7	Mean	SD
1. Commitment Making	.70^**	-.05	.20^**	-.50^**	-.19^**	-.15^**	16.23	4.64
2. Identification with Commitment		.01	.14^**	-.51^**	-.31^**	-.26^**	17.08	3.83
3. Exploration in Breadth			.29^**	.30^**	.05	.02	19.49	2.99
4. Exploration in Depth				.20^**	.08	.014	16.79	2.95
5. Ruminative Exploration					.36^**	.26^**	15.10	4.32
6. Depressive Symptoms						.67^**	14.38	9.67
7. Loneliness							36.53	9.22

Variable	Step 1 β	Step 2 β	Step 3 β
Gender	.275^**	.252^**	.184^**
Age	.089	.072	.020
Living with parents	.062	.095^*	.032
In romantic relationship	.051	.042	-.015
Commitment making		.120	.048
Identification with commitment		-.228^**	-.097^*
Exploration in breadth		-.032	-.020
Exploration in depth		-.002	.021
Ruminative exploration		.306^**	.173^**
Loneliness			.583^**
Model R2 (%)	9	24	53
Δ R2 (%)		15^**	29^**
F(df)	F(4,448)=10.73^**	F(9,443)=15.35^**	F(10,442)=49.69^**

Identity formation and evaluation in adolescence and emerging adulthood: How is it associated with depressive symptoms and loneliness?

Article Category: research-article

Data publikacji: 18 paź 2018

Zakres stron: 91 - 97

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21307/sjcapp-2018-010

Słowa kluczowe
identity formation, identity dimensions, mental distress, adolescence, emerging adulthood

© 2018 Nanna Lindekilde et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Hierarchical regression analysis with loneliness as dependent variable

Correlations among the study measures and descriptive statistics.

Hierarchical regression analysis with depressive symptoms as dependent variable

Identity formation and evaluation in adolescence and emerging adulthood: How is it associated with depressive symptoms and loneliness?

Article Category: research-article

Data publikacji: 18 paź 2018

Zakres stron: 91 - 97

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21307/sjcapp-2018-010

Słowa kluczoweidentity formation, identity dimensions, mental distress, adolescence, emerging adulthood

© 2018 Nanna Lindekilde et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Hierarchical regression analysis with loneliness as dependent variable

Correlations among the study measures and descriptive statistics.

Hierarchical regression analysis with depressive symptoms as dependent variable

Słowa kluczowe
identity formation, identity dimensions, mental distress, adolescence, emerging adulthood