Citation

Becht AI, Luyckx K, Nelemans SA, Goossens L, Branje SJT, Vollebergh WAM, Meeus WHJ. Dev. Psychol. 2019; 55(8): 1733-1742.

Affiliation

Research Center Adolescent Development.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, American Psychological Association)

DOI

10.1037/dev0000742

PMID

31070434

Abstract

This multisample longitudinal study examined the directionality of effects between identity exploration and commitment processes and depressive symptoms across adolescence. We compared two theoretical perspectives. According to the vulnerability model, identity uncertainty predicts depressive symptoms, whereas the scar model holds that depressive symptoms play into identity uncertainty. In investigating both models, we examined reciprocal within-person associations in Study 1 (N = 497, M_age Time 1 [T1] = 14.03 years, comprising five annual waves) and Study 2 (N = 1,022, M_age T1 = 15.80 years, comprising four annual waves). To this end, we applied the random-intercept cross-lagged panel model (RI-CLPM) in both studies.

RESULTS supported the vulnerability model across Studies 1 and 2. Specifically, within-person increasing reconsideration of commitment (Study 1) and ruminative exploration (Study 2) predicted a within-person increase in depressive symptoms 1 year later, but not vice versa. Commitment processes did not predict depressive symptoms at the within-person level. Our findings indicate that maladaptive exploration processes of identity formation play a particularly important role in the development of depressive symptoms at the within-person level. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Language: en