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Samaey C, Lambrechts S, Lecei A, Achterhof R, Hagemann N, Hermans KSFM, Hiekkaranta AP, Kirtley OJ, Reininghaus U, Boets B, Myin-Germeys I, van Winkel R. The role of identity in the development of depressive, anxiety and psychosis symptoms in adolescents exposed to childhood adversity: a process-oriented approach. BMC Psychiatry 2025; 25:194. [PMID: 40033242 PMCID: PMC11874077 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-025-06649-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2025] [Indexed: 03/05/2025] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Childhood adversity is known to predispose to a wide array of psychopathology in adolescence and early adulthood. Identity development, being a crucial developmental task during adolescence, has been suggested to affect this association. Nonetheless, research on the role of identity processes is scarce. The current study aims to investigate how identity processes of exploration and commitment may impact the association between childhood adversity and psychopathology. METHODS We cross-sectionally investigated the association between childhood adversity, identity processes (i.e., exploration in breadth and depth, commitment making, identification with commitment and ruminative exploration) and depressive, anxiety and psychosis symptoms in 869 Flemish adolescents between 14 and 20 years old (mean = 15.52, SD = 1.28). RESULTS Childhood adversity was associated with increased ruminative exploration, which itself was associated with increased psychopathology. On the other hand, commitment making, identification with commitment and exploration in breadth were associated with decreased psychopathology. Processes of exploration in breadth and commitment making attenuated the association between childhood adversity and psychopathology. Moreover, identification with commitment and ruminative exploration potentially mediated this association. CONCLUSION These findings underscore the importance of healthy identity processes in adolescents, with and without exposure to childhood adversity. Measures of identity structure and identity processes should be combined to fully capture identity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celine Samaey
- Department of Neurosciences, Research Group Psychiatry, Center for Clinical Psychiatry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Stijn Lambrechts
- Department of Neurosciences, Research Group Psychiatry, Center for Clinical Psychiatry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Aleksandra Lecei
- Department of Neurosciences, Research Group Psychiatry, Center for Clinical Psychiatry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Robin Achterhof
- Department of Neurosciences, Research Group Psychiatry, Center for Contextual Psychiatry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Noëmi Hagemann
- Department of Neurosciences, Research Group Psychiatry, Center for Contextual Psychiatry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Karlijn S F M Hermans
- Department of Neurosciences, Research Group Psychiatry, Center for Contextual Psychiatry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Strategy and Academic Affairs, Administration and Central Services, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Anu P Hiekkaranta
- Department of Neurosciences, Research Group Psychiatry, Center for Contextual Psychiatry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Olivia J Kirtley
- Department of Neurosciences, Research Group Psychiatry, Center for Contextual Psychiatry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ulrich Reininghaus
- Department of Public Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Central Institute of Mental Health, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
- ESRC Centre for Society and Mental Health and Social Epidemiology Research Group, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Bart Boets
- Department of Neurosciences, Research Group Psychiatry, Center for Developmental Psychiatry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Inez Myin-Germeys
- Department of Neurosciences, Research Group Psychiatry, Center for Contextual Psychiatry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ruud van Winkel
- Department of Neurosciences, Research Group Psychiatry, Center for Clinical Psychiatry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven, University Psychiatric Center (UPC), Leuven, Belgium
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Wang JA, Wang HF, Cao B, Lei X, Long C. Cultural Dimensions Moderate the Association between Loneliness and Mental Health during Adolescence and Younger Adulthood: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Youth Adolesc 2024; 53:1774-1819. [PMID: 38662185 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-024-01977-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Cultural factors, such as country or continent, influence the relationship between loneliness and mental health. However, less is known about how cultural dimensions moderate this relationship during adolescence and younger adulthood, even if these dimensions manifest as country or continent differences. This study aims to examine the potential influence of Hofstede's cultural dimensions on this relationship using a three-level meta-analysis approach. A total of 292 studies with 291,946 participants aged 10 to 24 were included in this study. The results indicate that cultural dimensions, such as individualism vs. collectivism, indulgence vs. restraint, power distance, and long-term vs. short-term orientation, moderated the associations between loneliness and social anxiety, stress, Internet overuse, and negative affect. The association between loneliness and mental health was not moderated by cultural dimensions, such as masculinity and uncertainty avoidance. These findings suggest that culture's influence on the association between loneliness and mental health is based on a domain-specific mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing-Ai Wang
- School of Psychology and Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality of the Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Hai-Fan Wang
- School of Psychology and Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality of the Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Bing Cao
- School of Psychology and Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality of the Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Xu Lei
- School of Psychology and Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality of the Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Changquan Long
- School of Psychology and Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality of the Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
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Samaey C, Lecei A, Achterhof R, Hagemann N, Hermans KSFM, Hiekkaranta AP, Kirtley OJ, Reininghaus U, Boets B, Myin-Germeys I, van Winkel R. The role of identity in the development of depressive, anxiety, and psychosis symptoms in adolescents exposed to childhood adversity. J Adolesc 2023. [PMID: 36737250 DOI: 10.1002/jad.12145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Childhood adversity is a major risk factor for psychiatric disorders and has especially been associated with an admixture of depressive, anxiety, and psychosis symptoms. Identity formation, a main developmental task during adolescence, may be impacted by these adverse experiences and act as an important process in the association between childhood adversity and psychopathology. METHODS We investigated the association between childhood adversity, identity formation, and depressive, anxiety, and psychosis symptoms cross-sectionally in 1913 Flemish adolescents between 11 and 20 years old (mean = 13.76, SD = 1.86). Adolescents completed questionnaires during the first wave of the SIGMA study between January 2018 and May 2019. RESULTS Childhood interpersonal adversity was associated with increased identity confusion and decreased identity synthesis. Additionally, identity confusion was associated with increased self-reported levels of psychopathology and potentially mediated the association between childhood adversity and psychopathology. CONCLUSION This study highlights the importance of promoting healthy identity formation in adolescents with and without exposure to adverse childhood experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celine Samaey
- KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Research Group Psychiatry, Center for Clinical Psychiatry, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Aleksandra Lecei
- KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Research Group Psychiatry, Center for Clinical Psychiatry, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Robin Achterhof
- KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Research Group Psychiatry, Center for Contextual Psychiatry, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Noëmi Hagemann
- KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Research Group Psychiatry, Center for Contextual Psychiatry, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Karlijn S F M Hermans
- Strategy and Academic Affairs, Administration and Central Services, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Anu P Hiekkaranta
- KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Research Group Psychiatry, Center for Contextual Psychiatry, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Olivia J Kirtley
- KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Research Group Psychiatry, Center for Contextual Psychiatry, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ulrich Reininghaus
- Department of Public Mental Health, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.,ESRC Centre for Society and Mental Health and Social Epidemiology Research Group, King's College London, London, London, UK
| | - Bart Boets
- KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Research Group Psychiatry, Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Leuven, Belgium.,KU Leuven, Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Inez Myin-Germeys
- KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Research Group Psychiatry, Center for Contextual Psychiatry, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ruud van Winkel
- KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Research Group Psychiatry, Center for Clinical Psychiatry, Leuven, Belgium.,KU Leuven, University Psychiatric Center (UPC), Leuven, Belgium
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