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Cited by 29Identity, Memory, and TherapyRacial and Ethnic Identity ResearchMigration, Health and Trauma

Examining the Directionality Between Identity Development and Depressive Symptoms Among Recently Immigrated Hispanic Adolescents

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Meca, Alan, Rodil, Julia C., Paulson, James F., Kelley, Michelle, Schwartz, Seth J., Unger, Jennifer B., Lorenzo-Blanco, Elma I., Des Rosiers, Sabrina E. +3 more·2019·Journal of Youth and Adolescence
DOI 10.1007/s10964-019-01086-zPMC PMC7456180
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Abstract

Although personal identity development has been conceptualized as a source of psychological stability and protective against depressive symptoms among Hispanic immigrants, there remains ambiguity regarding the directional relationship between identity development and depression. To address this limitation, the current study sought to establish directionality between identity development and depressive symptoms. The sample consisted of 302 recent (<5 years) immigrant Hispanic adolescents (53.3% boys; M age = 14.51 years at baseline; SD = 0.88 years) from Miami and Los Angeles who participated in a longitudinal study. The findings suggested a bidirectional relationship between identity and depressive symptoms such that identity coherence negatively predicted depressive symptoms, yet depressive symptoms also negatively predicted coherence and positively predicted subsequent identity confusion. Findings not only provide further evidence for the protective role of identity development during times of acute cultural transitions, but also emphasize the need for research to examine how depressive symptoms, and psychopathology more broadly, may interfere with establishing a sense of self.

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  • Within-person increases in identity synthesis were associated with decreases in depressive symptoms six months later during adolescence, with a small effect size, but there was no effect of identity confusion.

    “within-person increases in identity synthesis were associated with decreases in depressive symptoms six months later – with a small effect size – during adolescence, but there was no effect of identity confusion”

    From Identity Development and Social-Emotional Disorders During Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (2022) · cites this paper as Meca et al., 2019

    The Results (Establishing Directional Effects; page unavailable) report that higher-than-usual identity coherence predicted lower depressive symptoms at the next wave (β = −0.164), while the Discussion says identity confusion did not predict subsequent depressive symptoms. However, Methods (Procedure; page unavailable) specifies that the analyses used waves 12 months apart, not six months apart. The finding also concerns recently immigrated Hispanic adolescents, rather than adolescents generally. (LLM, conf=0.91)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Within-person increases in depressive symptoms were associated with decreases in identity synthesis and increases in identity confusion six months later during adolescence, with small effect sizes.

    “within-person increases in depressive symptoms were associated with decreases in identity synthesis and increases in identity confusion six months later during adolescence, with small effect sizes”

    From Identity Development and Social-Emotional Disorders During Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (2022) · cites this paper as Meca et al., 2019

    The Results (Establishing Directional Effects; page unavailable) report within-person associations in the claimed directions: higher depressive symptoms predicted lower identity coherence and higher identity confusion at the next analyzed wave, with standardized coefficients of −0.162 and 0.276. But the Methods (Procedure; page unavailable) state that these analyses used waves 12 months apart, not six months apart. The paper measures identity coherence rather than a variable named identity synthesis, and its sample was recently immigrated Hispanic adolescents. (LLM, conf=0.92)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Cited by

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Authors
Meca, A., Rodil, J. C., Paulson, J. F., Kelley, M., Schwartz, S. J., Unger, J. B., Lorenzo-Blanco, E. I., Des Rosiers, S. E., Gonzales-Backen, M., Baezconde-Garbanati, L., & Zamboanga, B. L.
Affiliations
  • Old Dominion University (US)
  • University of Miami (US)
  • University of Southern California (US)
  • Smith College (US)
Corresponding author
Meca, Alan
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Youth and Adolescence
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2019-07-24
Volume
48
Issue
11
Pages
2114-2124
ISSN
  • 0047-2891 (ISSN-L)
  • 1573-6601
DOI
10.1007/s10964-019-01086-z
PMC
PMC7456180
OpenAlex
W2964118252
Cited by
29
References
7
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 4
FWCI
6.83
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Journal of Youth and Adolescence (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • University of Southern California
  • National Institute of Mental Health (R25MH067127)
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (R01DA025694)
  • Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (P2CHD042849)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Identity, Memory, and Therapy
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Racial and Ethnic Identity Research
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Migration, Health and Trauma
Keywords
identity construction, depressive symptoms, Latino immigrants, migrant youth, identity coherence, identity confusion, bidirectional relationship, cultural transition, selfhood, psychopathology
MeSH terms
Acculturation, Adolescent, Depression, Emigration and Immigration, Female, Hispanic or Latino, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Minority Groups, Risk-Taking, Social Support, Los Angeles, Emigrants and Immigrants

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