Ethnic Identity Trajectories Among Mexican-Origin Girls During Early and Middle Adolescence: Predicting Future Psychosocial Adjustment

• Published in: Developmental psychology Vol. 52; no. 5; pp. 790 - 797
• Main Authors: Gonzales-Backen, Melinda A., Bámaca-Colbert, Mayra Y., Allen, Kimberly
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Psychological Association 01-05-2016
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological - physiology; Adjustment; Adjustment (to Environment); Adolescent; Adolescent Behavior - psychology; Adolescent Development; Adolescent girls; Adolescents; Affirmation; Age Differences; Age Factors; Arizona; Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale; Cohort Studies; Cultural identity; Depression (Psychology); Ethnic Identity; Ethnic Identity Questionnaire; Ethnicity; Female; Females; Girls; High School Students; Human; Humans; Likert Scales; Longitudinal Studies; Major Depression; Maximum Likelihood Statistics; Measures (Individuals); Mental depression; Mexican Americans; Mexican Americans - psychology; Mexican people; Middle School Students; Predictor Variables; Psychosocial Development; Psychosocial factors; Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale; Self Concept; Self Concept Measures; Self Esteem; Social Adjustment; Social Identification; Surveys; Surveys and Questionnaires; Symptoms; Symptoms (Individual Disorders); Teenagers; Arizona; adolescence; psychosocial adjustment; longitudinal; ethnic identity; Mexican-origin
• ISSN: 0012-1649; 1939-0599
• DOI: 10.1037/a0040193

We examined trajectories of ethnic identity exploration, resolution, and affirmation and their associations with depressive symptoms and self-esteem 3.5 years later among early and middle adolescent Mexican-origin girls (N = 338). Findings indicated that exploration, resolution, and affirmation increased over time for both cohorts. Among early adolescents, growth in exploration was associated with more depressive symptoms during middle adolescence, whereas higher initial levels and greater rates of change of affirmation predicted fewer subsequent depressive symptoms. Among middle adolescents, higher baseline levels of exploration and affirmation predicted fewer depressive symptoms in late adolescence. Higher initial levels and greater change in affirmation predicted higher self-esteem among both cohorts. Findings highlight the developmental and multifaceted quality of ethnic identity and that associations between ethnic identity and adjustment may vary by adolescent developmental stage.