A theoretical framework for the associations between identity and psychopathology.
Abstract
Identity research largely emerged from clinical observations. Decades of empirical work advanced the field in refining existing approaches and adding new approaches. Furthermore, the existence of linkages of identity with psychopathology is now well established. Unfortunately, both the directionality of effects between identity aspects and psychopathology symptoms, and the mechanisms underlying associations are unclear. In the present paper, we present a new framework to inspire hypothesis-driven empirical research to overcome this limitation. The framework has a basic resemblance to theoretical models for the study of personality and psychopathology, so we provide examples of how these might apply to the study of identity. Next, we explain that unique features of identity may come into play in individuals suffering from psychopathology that are mostly related to the content of one's identity. These include pros and cons of identifying with one's diagnostic label. Finally, inspired by Hermans' dialogical self theory and principles derived from Piaget's, Swann's and Kelly's work, we delineate a framework with identity at the core of an individual multidimensional space. In this space, psychopathology symptoms have a known distance (representing relevance) to one's identity, and individual multidimensional spaces are connected to those of other individuals in one's social network. We discuss methodological (quantitative and qualitative, idiographic and nomothetic) and statistic…
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Ongoing identity development may increase vulnerability to social-emotional disorders, whilst such difficulties may also impede identity development.
“Ongoing identity development may increase vulnerability to social-emotional disorders, whilst such difficulties may also impede identity development (Klimstra & Denissen, 2017).”
From Identity Development and Social-Emotional Disorders During Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (2022) · cites this paper as Klimstra & Denissen, 2017
Identity development difficulties and social-emotional disorders may be related through common causes, identity difficulties increasing disorder likelihood, disorder increasing identity difficulties, or both.
“identity development difficulties may increase the likelihood of the emergence of social-emotional disorders, social-emotional disorders may increase the likelihood of identity development difficulties, or both phenomena may be underpinned by common causes (Klimstra & Denissen, 2017).”
From Identity Development and Social-Emotional Disorders During Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (2022) · cites this paper as Klimstra & Denissen, 2017
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Dynamics of Identity Development in Adolescence: A Decade in Review
Branje, S., de Moor, E. L., Spitzer, J., & Becht, A. I. (2021) · Journal of Research on Adolescence · doi:10.1111/jora.12678 · Cited by 584 · see citing works
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Mitchell, L. L., Lodi-Smith, J., Baranski, E. N., & Whitbourne, S. K. (2021) · Psychology and Aging · doi:10.1037/pag0000537 · Cited by 44 · see citing works
van Doeselaar, L., Klimstra, T. A., Denissen, J. J. A., Branje, S., & Meeus, W. (2018) · Developmental Psychology · doi:10.1037/dev0000479 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
Self-citationThe development of narrative identity and the emergence of personality disorders in adolescence
Shiner, R. L., Klimstra, T. A., Denissen, J. J., & See, A. Y. (2021) · Current Opinion in Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.copsyc.2020.07.024 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
Self-citationVerschueren, M., Claes, L., Palmeroni, N., Raemen, L., Buelens, T., Moons, P., & Luyckx, K. (2021) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.667235 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
de Moor, E. L., Van der Graaff, J., van Doeselaar, L., Klimstra, T. A., & Branje, S. (2021) · Journal of Research on Adolescence · doi:10.1111/jora.12605 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
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- Authors
- Klimstra, T. A., & Denissen, J. J. A.
- Affiliations
- Tilburg University (NL)
- Venue
- Developmental Psychology
- Published
- 2017-11
- Volume
- 53
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 2052-2065
- ISSN
- 0012-1649 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-0599
- OpenAlex
- W2766057769
- Cited by
- 150
- References
- 10
- Citations by year
- 2026: 15 · 2025: 19 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 34 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 22 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 2
- FWCI
- 19.86
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Developmental Psychology (publishedVersion)
- Research portal (Tilburg University) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (452–14-013)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Identity, Memory, and Therapy
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Social Representations and Identity
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
- Keywords
- identity, psychopathology, dialogical self theory, social networks, theoretical framework, personality and psychopathology
- MeSH terms
- Mental Disorders, Humans, Identification, Psychological, Models, Psychological, Research Design, Self Concept, Social Identification
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