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.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1208-1225 |
Number of pages | 18 |
Journal | Journal of Youth and Adolescence |
Volume | 41 |
Issue number | 9 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Sep 2012 |
Keywords
- Anxiety symptoms
- Depressive symptoms
- Early adolescence
- Personal identity
- Self-concept clarity
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Education
- Social Sciences (miscellaneous)