Identity in young adulthood: Links with mental health and risky behavior

Seth J. Schwartz; Sam A. Hardy; Byron L. Zamboanga; Alan Meca; Alan S. Waterman; Simona Picariello; Koen Luyckx; Elisabetta Crocetti; Su Yeong Kim; Aerika S. Brittian; Sharon E. Roberts; Susan Krauss Whitbourne; Rachel A. Ritchie; Elissa J. Brown; Larry F. Forthun

doi:10.1016/j.appdev.2014.10.001

Identity in young adulthood: Links with mental health and risky behavior

Seth J. Schwartz^*, Sam A. Hardy, Byron L. Zamboanga, Alan Meca, Alan S. Waterman, Simona Picariello, Koen Luyckx, Elisabetta Crocetti, Su Yeong Kim, Aerika S. Brittian, Sharon E. Roberts, Susan Krauss Whitbourne, Rachel A. Ritchie, Elissa J. Brown, Larry F. Forthun

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

The present study was conducted to contribute to our understanding of young adult identity development by deriving latent profiles from intrapersonal and interpersonal indices of identity synthesis and confusion. A sample of 9737 college-attending young adults completed measures of identity, mental health, and health risk behaviors. Four latent profiles emerged: Synthesized (high synthesis, low confusion), Diffused (moderate synthesis, high confusion), Elevated (high synthesis and confusion), and Moderate (moderate synthesis and confusion). The Synthesized profile was associated with the highest well-being and the lowest levels of internalizing, externalizing, and health risks. The Diffused and Elevated profiles were both associated with low well-being and with high internalizing, externalizing, and risky behaviors - with the Elevated profile highest on all of the negative outcomes. The Moderate profile scored intermediately on well-being, internalizing, externalizing, and health risks. These results are discussed in terms of the role of identity within a successful transition to adulthood.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	39-52
Number of pages	14
Journal	Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology
Volume	36
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2014.10.001
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2015

Keywords

Externalizing
Health risks
Identity
Internalizing
Well-being

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.appdev.2014.10.001

1-s2.0-S0193397314001221-mainFinal published version, 527 KBLicence: Taverne

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Schwartz, S. J., Hardy, S. A., Zamboanga, B. L., Meca, A., Waterman, A. S., Picariello, S., Luyckx, K., Crocetti, E., Kim, S. Y., Brittian, A. S., Roberts, S. E., Whitbourne, S. K., Ritchie, R. A., Brown, E. J., & Forthun, L. F. (2015). Identity in young adulthood: Links with mental health and risky behavior. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 36, 39-52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2014.10.001

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title = "Identity in young adulthood: Links with mental health and risky behavior",

abstract = "The present study was conducted to contribute to our understanding of young adult identity development by deriving latent profiles from intrapersonal and interpersonal indices of identity synthesis and confusion. A sample of 9737 college-attending young adults completed measures of identity, mental health, and health risk behaviors. Four latent profiles emerged: Synthesized (high synthesis, low confusion), Diffused (moderate synthesis, high confusion), Elevated (high synthesis and confusion), and Moderate (moderate synthesis and confusion). The Synthesized profile was associated with the highest well-being and the lowest levels of internalizing, externalizing, and health risks. The Diffused and Elevated profiles were both associated with low well-being and with high internalizing, externalizing, and risky behaviors - with the Elevated profile highest on all of the negative outcomes. The Moderate profile scored intermediately on well-being, internalizing, externalizing, and health risks. These results are discussed in terms of the role of identity within a successful transition to adulthood.",

keywords = "Externalizing, Health risks, Identity, Internalizing, Well-being",

author = "Schwartz, \{Seth J.\} and Hardy, \{Sam A.\} and Zamboanga, \{Byron L.\} and Alan Meca and Waterman, \{Alan S.\} and Simona Picariello and Koen Luyckx and Elisabetta Crocetti and Kim, \{Su Yeong\} and Brittian, \{Aerika S.\} and Roberts, \{Sharon E.\} and Whitbourne, \{Susan Krauss\} and Ritchie, \{Rachel A.\} and Brown, \{Elissa J.\} and Forthun, \{Larry F.\}",

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doi = "10.1016/j.appdev.2014.10.001",

language = "English",

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Schwartz, SJ, Hardy, SA, Zamboanga, BL, Meca, A, Waterman, AS, Picariello, S, Luyckx, K, Crocetti, E, Kim, SY, Brittian, AS, Roberts, SE, Whitbourne, SK, Ritchie, RA, Brown, EJ & Forthun, LF 2015, 'Identity in young adulthood: Links with mental health and risky behavior', Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, vol. 36, pp. 39-52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2014.10.001

TY - JOUR

T1 - Identity in young adulthood

T2 - Links with mental health and risky behavior

AU - Schwartz, Seth J.

AU - Hardy, Sam A.

AU - Zamboanga, Byron L.

AU - Meca, Alan

AU - Waterman, Alan S.

AU - Picariello, Simona

AU - Luyckx, Koen

AU - Crocetti, Elisabetta

AU - Kim, Su Yeong

AU - Brittian, Aerika S.

AU - Roberts, Sharon E.

AU - Whitbourne, Susan Krauss

AU - Ritchie, Rachel A.

AU - Brown, Elissa J.

AU - Forthun, Larry F.

PY - 2015/1/1

Y1 - 2015/1/1

N2 - The present study was conducted to contribute to our understanding of young adult identity development by deriving latent profiles from intrapersonal and interpersonal indices of identity synthesis and confusion. A sample of 9737 college-attending young adults completed measures of identity, mental health, and health risk behaviors. Four latent profiles emerged: Synthesized (high synthesis, low confusion), Diffused (moderate synthesis, high confusion), Elevated (high synthesis and confusion), and Moderate (moderate synthesis and confusion). The Synthesized profile was associated with the highest well-being and the lowest levels of internalizing, externalizing, and health risks. The Diffused and Elevated profiles were both associated with low well-being and with high internalizing, externalizing, and risky behaviors - with the Elevated profile highest on all of the negative outcomes. The Moderate profile scored intermediately on well-being, internalizing, externalizing, and health risks. These results are discussed in terms of the role of identity within a successful transition to adulthood.

AB - The present study was conducted to contribute to our understanding of young adult identity development by deriving latent profiles from intrapersonal and interpersonal indices of identity synthesis and confusion. A sample of 9737 college-attending young adults completed measures of identity, mental health, and health risk behaviors. Four latent profiles emerged: Synthesized (high synthesis, low confusion), Diffused (moderate synthesis, high confusion), Elevated (high synthesis and confusion), and Moderate (moderate synthesis and confusion). The Synthesized profile was associated with the highest well-being and the lowest levels of internalizing, externalizing, and health risks. The Diffused and Elevated profiles were both associated with low well-being and with high internalizing, externalizing, and risky behaviors - with the Elevated profile highest on all of the negative outcomes. The Moderate profile scored intermediately on well-being, internalizing, externalizing, and health risks. These results are discussed in terms of the role of identity within a successful transition to adulthood.

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KW - Health risks

KW - Identity

KW - Internalizing

KW - Well-being

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84923350808

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DO - 10.1016/j.appdev.2014.10.001

M3 - Article

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SN - 0193-3973

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SP - 39

EP - 52

JO - Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology

JF - Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology

ER -

Identity in young adulthood: Links with mental health and risky behavior

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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