The Ecological Validity of the Constructs of Identity Importance, Identity Firmness, and Identity Discrepancy: The Therapeutic Effect of the Adolescent Identity Intervention Program
Date Issued
2007
Date
2007
Author(s)
Chen, Kun-Hu
DOI
zh-TW
Abstract
Erik Erikson postulated that identity formation is the most important developmental task during adolescence. As a psychoanalyst, Erikson has been interested in relating identity formation to developmental psychopathology. Following the original interest of Eriksonian theory, our previous series of studies have been devoted to differentiating the measuring concepts of identity importance, identity firmness and identity discrepancy as well as their contents of personal, social, and image identity. The developmental trend (Chen, Lay, & Wu, 2005) as well as the relation between the three identity concepts and mental health (Chen, Lay, Wu, Yao, 2005; Chen, Lay, & Wu, 2003a, b, Chen, Lay, & Wu, resubmit) have been documented. Based on our previous findings, the goal of the present series of research is to develop a self-identity intervention program to help promote adolescent positive mental health. Accordingly, Study 1 administered the “Adolescent Identity Intervention Program” individually to a college high-risk sample. The results indicated that the three aspects of identity firmness increased, the three aspects of identity discrepancy decreased, and the indices of mental health improved in the treatment group. To understand the connection between identity and mental health during early and middle adolescence, Study 2 applied large-sample survey in six junior-high and high schools in the metropolitan Taipei area. The results were consistent with the findings from college samples. Specifically, the three aspects of identity firmness and identity discrepancy significantly correlated with mental health. Study 3 expanded the applicability of “Adolescent Identity Individual Program” to early or middle adolescence. Study 3 administered the “Adolescent Identity Intervention Program, AIIP” to promote adolescent positive mental health through group therapy. The participants of the AIIP were recruited from one of the six sampled schools in Study 2. Adolescents with low scores in the three aspects of identity firmness were randomly assigned to the three experimental groups. Each group consisted of approximately ten participants. Participants in the Experimental Group A attended nine sessions of AIIP. Participants in the Experimental Group B attended nine sessions of cognitive-behavior group therapy. Participants in the Experimental Group C took all the pre- and post-treatment measurements held for Group A and B but did not take the nine-session AIIP until two months after the Group A and B had finished the intervention programs. Participants in the Control Group D were administered with all the pre- and post-measurements held for the experimental groups but did not take any form of intervention. The results revealed immediate therapeutic effects of AIIP (Experimental Group A and C) in promoting adolescent identity firmness, reducing identity discrepancy, and facilitating mental health. Among the three identity aspects (i.e., personal, social, image), the therapeutic effect over the personal identity aspect was the most noticeable. Moreover, the analyses of the short-term (2-month follow-up) and long-term (6-month follow-up) maintenance data also revealed carry-over therapeutic effects from AIIP.
Subjects
認同重要性
認同確定性
認同落差
個人認同
形象認同
介入方案
心理健康
青少年
Identity Importance
Identity Firmness
Identity Discrepancy
Personal Identity
Social Identity
Image Identity
Intervention Program
Mental Health
Adolescence
SDGs
Type
other