Introduction

Research on identity development has primarily studied over-time trends in identity status change and exploration and commitment processes among late adolescents and emerging adults. Identity development in early and mid-adolescents has generally been overlooked. Hence, little is known about how a sense of identity synthesis and confusion evolves from early to late adolescence for boys and girls.

Methods

The present cross-sectional study examined gender-moderated age trends in identity synthesis and confusion from ages 12 to 25 among 5860 Belgian adolescents (56.1% girls; Mage = 16.09). In addition, using a subsample of 2782 participants, we investigated associations of identity synthesis and confusion with depressive symptoms in early, mid-, and late adolescents.

Results

Mean scores on identity synthesis decreased from ages 12 to 15, subsequently increased from ages 15 to 23, and decreased again later on. Mean scores on identity confusion followed a parallel but opposite cubic trend. Gender differences in these age trends were dependent upon the developmental period. For all age groups, identity synthesis scores were negatively associated with depressive symptoms, whereas positive associations emerged between identity confusion and depressive symptoms.

Conclusions

From 12 to 25 years old, individuals experience an increasing sense of identity synthesis and less identity confusion, despite fluctuations that appear to be dependent upon the developmental period. Identity synthesis and confusion seem to be strongly negatively and positively associated with depressive symptoms in early, mid-, and late adolescents.

中文翻译：

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青少年早期到晚期的身份综合和困惑：年龄趋势、性别差异以及与抑郁症状的关联

介绍

身份发展研究主要研究晚期青少年和新兴成年人身份状态变化以及探索和承诺过程的长期趋势。青少年早期和中期的身份发展通常被忽视。因此，人们对男孩和女孩的身份综合感和困惑感如何从青春期早期到晚期演变知之甚少。

方法

本横断面研究调查了 5860 名比利时青少年（56.1% 女孩；M年龄 = 16.09）中从 12 岁到 25 岁在身份综合和混淆方面的性别调节年龄趋势。此外，我们使用 2782 名参与者的子样本，调查了青少年早期、中期和晚期的身份合成和混淆与抑郁症状的关联。

结果

身份综合的平均得分从 12 岁到 15 岁下降，随后从 15 岁到 23 岁上升，之后再次下降。身份混淆的平均分数遵循平行但相反的三次趋势。这些年龄趋势的性别差异取决于发育时期。对于所有年龄组，身份综合评分与抑郁症状呈负相关，而身份混淆与抑郁症状之间出现正相关。

结论

从 12 岁到 25 岁，个人经历了越来越多的身份综合感和更少的身份混淆，尽管波动似乎取决于发展时期。身份综合和困惑似乎与青少年早期、中期和晚期的抑郁症状呈强烈的负相关和正相关。