Reducing Identity Distress: Results of an Identity Intervention for Emerging Adults

Emerging adulthood is a transitional period between adolescence and adulthood where positive and negative life trajectories tend to diverge, with issues surrounding identity formation playing a key role. The present study evaluated the Miami Adult Development Project, a self-facilitated identity-focused intervention. The sample consisted of 141 emerging adults (19?29 years old; M = 23.08) who completed pretest and posttest assessments. Results indicated participation in the intervention relative to the comparison group was associated with lower levels of identity distress and higher levels of well-being via the reduction of identity distress and the development of a consolidated identity (commitment and synthesis). The present study provides evidence for the effectiveness of positive identity interventions during emerging adulthood.     

Treatment Interventions for Perfectionism—A Cognitive Perspective: Introduction to the Special Issue

The current article provides an overview of the papers included in this special issue and includes a discussion of key issues pertaining to psychological treatments for perfectionism. We describe and review two new treatment intervention studies in this special issue that focus on perfectionism in university students as well as other contemporary research on the use of cognitive-behavioral therapy to treat perfectionists. While the significant reductions in levels of perfectionism as a result of treatment are noteworthy, we caution that perfectionism is a relatively enduring trait; thus, some perfectionists will remain treatment resistant and overall levels of perfectionism may remain relatively high even when significant improvements are realized. Moreover, we discuss the established tendency for perfectionism to be associated with residual symptoms of distress following treatment. As part of our discussion of the other articles in this special issue, we highlight cognitive factors of likely significance in the treatment of perfectionism, including the ruminative response style, the tendency to experience perfectionistic automatic thoughts, and the role of core irrational beliefs in the development of perfectionism. These articles underscore the need to consider key cognitive factors that are central to dysfunctional forms of perfectionism. This special issue on perfectionism is the third special issue on this topic to appear in the Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy under the editorialship of Windy Dryden. We are very grateful for the continuing opportunity in this journal to explore issues related to the cognitive and treatment aspects of perfectionism.     

Identity behind the Iron Curtain: Recent advances in identity research in changing contexts

Abstract

The present article introduces the special issue on identity in the former Soviet bloc countries. We begin by discussing identity as a developmental task, as well as the social-contextual forces that direct and constrain the ways in which individual people construct their identities. We then articulate some specific challenges inherent in identity development within contexts characterized by social change – primarily the fact that the available identity alternatives, and the ways in which individuals are expected to go about choosing from among these alternatives, are likely changing rapidly. We frame Erikson’s original work as having been grounded in times of rapid social change in the post-World War II United States, and describe the direct relevance of Erikson’s work for the study of more contemporary instances of sociopolitical change. We then introduce and summarize the articles included in the special issue.     

The Metaphysics of Personal Identity and Our Special Concern for the Future

Abstract: Philosophers have long suggested that our attitude of special concern for the future is problematic for a reductionist view of personal identity, such as the one developed by Derek Parfit in Reasons and Persons. Specifically, it is often claimed that reductionism cannot provide justification for this attitude. In this article, I argue that much of the debate in this arena involves a misconception of the connection between metaphysical theories of personal identity and our special concern. A proper understanding of this connection reveals that the abovementioned objection to reductionism cannot get off the ground. Though the connection I propose is weaker than the connection typically presupposed, I nonetheless run up against a conclusion reached by Susan Wolf in “Self‐Interest and Interest in Selves.” According to Wolf, metaphysical theses about the nature of personal identity have no significance for our attitude of special concern. By arguing against Wolf's treatment of self‐interest, I suggest that her arguments for this conclusion are misguided. This discussion leads to further clarification of the nature of the link between theories of personal identity and our special concern and, ultimately, to a better understanding of the rationality of this attitude.     

群体认同在集群行为中的作用机制

在集群行为背景下, 群体认同对个体的集群行为意愿既具有直接的动员作用, 同时也可以调节群体情绪和群体效能变量与人们行为意愿间的关系。政治认同、共同认同与双重认同等特殊形式的群体认同对集群行为的发生具有不同的影响。从动态性研究的角度看, 参与集群行为会强化个体对内群体的认同感, 而强烈的群体认同则会对参与者的行动产生持续影响。今后的研究应根据集群行为的不同触发情境、不同形式及不同发展阶段对群体认同的复杂工作机制进行探讨。     

Identity,Individuation and Substance

The paper takes off from the problem of finding a proper content for the relation of identity as it holds or fails to hold among ordinary things or substances. The necessary conditions of identity are familiar, the sufficient conditions less so. The search is for conditions at once better usable than the Leibnizian Identity of Indiscernibles (independently suspect) and strong enough to underwrite all the formal properties of the relation. It is contended that the key to this problem rests at the level of metaphysics and epistemology alike with a sortalist position. Sortalism is the position which insists that, if the question is whether a and b are the same, it has to be asked what are they? Any sufficiently specific answer to that question will bring with it a principle of activity or functioning and a mode of behaviour characteristic of some particular kind of thing by reference to which questions of persistence or non‐persistence through change can be adjudicated. These contentions are illustrated by reference to familiar examples such as the human zygote, the Ship of Theseus and Shoemaker's Brown‐Brownson. The first example is hostage for a mass of unproblematical cases. The problems presented by the second and third sort of examples arise chiefly (it is claimed) from an incompleteness in our conceptions of the relevant sort—the what the thing in question is. That incompleteness need not prevent us from knowing perfectly well which thing we are referring to. In the concluding section, sortalism is defended against various accusations of anthropocentrism. The paper touches on the interpretation of Heraclitus, Leibniz's theory of clear indistinct ideas, the difficulties of David Lewis's ‘perdurantist’ or stroboscopic view of persistence, four‐dimensionalism, and the relation of personal identity both to experiential memory and to the particular bodily physiognomy of a subject. At some points—as in connection with the so‐called Only a and b rule—the paper corrects, supplements or extends certain theses or formulations proposed in the author's Sameness and Substance Renewed (2001).     

The Role of Religion in the Collective Identity of the White Racialist Movement

This paper applies the concept of identity to the white racialist or separatist movement, typically referred to as the white supremacist movement in many mainstream publications. While similar racial identity and shared perceptions of the meaning of racialism bind the movement together, there are other important concerns that potentially divide the movement but also have served to attract members to it. One of these potentially divisive areas, the differences in religious views, is explored here through an analysis of the white separatist literature and interviews with movement members. Three belief systems of movement members—Christian or Israel Identity, Church of the Creator, and Odinism—are examined. All three contribute to strengthening the racial identity of white racialists, but are at the same time potentially antagonistic to each other. It is suggested that this religious divide will be a key issue in influencing the future development of the movement.     

Introduction

The United States is a profoundly multiethnic country. Increasingly, it is realized that the presentation of psychological distress, and its treatment, is influenced in important ways by culture. The current special issue aims to explore how culture impacts on the treatment process—from distress presentation to mechanisms generating distress to the manner in which mechanisms generating distress must be addressed. In this Introduction to the special issue, I will summarize the contributions, and give some sense of how they illustrate the importance of culture in the treatment process.     

Identity Closure: A Fifth Identity Status

This study examined identity status and self-actualization of young adults (N = 41), who were administered a revised identity interview (based on Marcia's interview) and a measure of self-actualization (the Personal Orientation Inventory). A fifth status, identity closure, was added to account for status regression and re-foreclosure, found in previous studies. This addition prompted a revision of the operational definition of identity achievement to include three criteria: exploration, tentative commitment, and openness to alternatives. Open achieved individuals scored higher than closed individuals on the measure of self-actualization, suggesting some validity for the revised operational definition of identity achievement and providing support for Eriksonian theory. Theoretical implications and the development of a revised paradigm are discussed.     

Stigmatized‐Identity Cues and Consumer Applications Revisited

This article responds to thoughtful commentaries provided by Lamberton (2019–this issue) and Wooten & Rank‐Christman (2019—this issue) on Chaney, Sanchez, & Maimon (2019—this issue), an article in which we discussed the implications of social psychological research on stigmatized‐identity safety cues for consumer behavior. In Chaney, et al. (2019–this issue), we contend that stigmatized‐identity cues can signal belonging to marginalized groups via the ideological assumptions made about companies. In this article, we first clarify our definition of stigmatized identities beyond the limitation assumed by Wooten & Rank‐Christman (2019—this issue). In addition, we join the conversation regarding when cues lead to divergent responses in social groups. We also consider how using identity cues can “backfire” and the importance of using marketing goals to assess the extent to which strategies using such cues succeeded. Lastly, we integrate Lamberton's (2019–this issue) framework of dignity architecture and related empirical findings to discuss some of the challenges of research on stigmatized‐identity cues.     

The Harmony of Identity

The standard natural deduction rules for the identity predicate have seemed to some not to be harmonious. Stephen Read has suggested an alternative introduction rule that restores harmony but presupposes second-order logic. Here it will be shown that the standard rules are in fact harmonious. To this end, natural deduction will be enriched with a theory of definitional identity. This leads to a novel conception of canonical derivation, on the basis of which the identity elimination rule can be justified in a proof-theoretical manner.

     

Ethnic Identity Development and Urban Haitian Adolescents

This experimental study describes the effect of a preventive, psychoeducational, counselor intervention on the ethnic identity development of urban Haitian adolescents. Significant differences were found for gender but not between the control and experimental groups. Boys scored significantly lower (p < .05) than girls on the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure. Recommendations are made regarding school as a frontier for the enhancement of healthy minority adolescent development.     

In Search of Mechanisms of Change in Identity Development: Integrating the Constructivist and Discovery Perspectives on Identity

This article represents an attempt to specify the mechanisms of identity development by integrating the self-construction and self-discovery viewpoints on identity with social-psychological elements of Erik Erikson's theory of identity development. Individualization theory, derived from the sociological literature, is utilized as the template for this integration. Self-construction is conceptualized as the path, and self-discovery as the optimal destination, of the identity development process. Four levels of identity coherence are derived from this integration of the constructivist-discovery issue with Eriksonian theory. Preliminary data are presented to support this continuum. Implications for identity theory and intervention are discussed.     

Identity configurations: a new perspective on identity formation in contemporary society

This paper deals with the theoretical construct of "identity configuration." It portrays the different possible ways in which individuals configure the relationship among potentially conflicting identifications in the process of identity formation. In order to explicate these configurations, I analyzed narratives of identity development retold by individuals describing personal identity conflicts that arise within a larger context of sociocultural conflict. Thirty Jewish modern orthodox young adults were interviewed regarding a potentially conflictual identity issue (i.e. their religious and sexual development). Their deliberations, as described in the interviews, were examined, and four different configurations were identified: a configuration based on choice and suppression; an assimilative and synthesizing configuration; a confederacy of identifications; and a configuration based on the thrill of dissonance. The different configurations are illustrated through exemplars, and the possible implications of the concept of "configuration" for identity theory are discussed.     

The Intersections of Sexuality, Gender, and Race: Identity Research at the Crossroads

Psychology’s engagement with an intersectional perspective on social identities continues to grow. This special issue is significant in its use of intersectionality to complicate thinking about sexual orientation as a singular, homogenous category. Furthermore, it spotlights how intersectional positions within the range of sexual minority identities articulate with multiple other dimensions of identity, including gender, racial ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and age. In addition to recognizing the important contributions of this issue’s authors, in this commentary we relate their efforts to current trends in intersectionality research, including the contrasting ways intersectionality is applied in psychology. We observe that the authors portray intersectionality as either primarily concerned with multiple marginalized identities or as a more generalized theory of identity, and the authors use intersectionality as a framework, a theory, and an approach to social justice. We then address critiques of intersectionality theory that appear in the field of feminist/gender studies, showing how articles in this special issue both exemplify and challenge those critiques. Last, we focus on next steps in intersectionality research, focusing especially on the question of how intersectionality can best inform theory and methods in psychology.     

The Path from Identity Commitments to Adjustment: Motivational Underpinnings and Mediating Mechanisms

The present study focused on motivational underpinnings of identity commitments and mediating mechanisms underlying their effects on well‐being and distress in a sample of college freshmen (N = 399). Using a path model in a structural equation modeling approach, the authors found that causality orientations appeared to serve as motivational antecedents of identity commitments. Identity integration mediated the pathway from identity commitments to adjustment (i.e., well‐being and absence of distress). Suggestions for future research and implications for counseling are provided.     

Culture,the Self,and Identity: Introduction to the Special Issue

The goal of this special issue is to take the reader on mini “journeys” into the self and identities of members of a variety of cultural groups. Some themes that weave together the contributions to this special issue are the complexity of the development of self and racial identity among members of stigmatized ethnic groups, the dynamic construction of identity, and alternative conceptualizations of the independent and interdependent self-construals.     

Behavior analytic contributions to public health and telehealth

The Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis is launching a special series on the topics of public health and telehealth. The special series begins with the articles in this issue and will continue for the next 2 to 3 issues with an open submission window until September 1, 2020. Behavior analysis has much to offer with respect to public health and much to gain from continued and expanded use of telehealth. This paper outlines the importance of these topics in the current crisis and in our ongoing evolution as a field. The historical literature in behavior analysis is reviewed for each topic along with suggestions for future research. The articles from the special series will be combined with historical contributions from JABA into a virtual issue. We encourage continued submissions on these topics even after the special series is completed as future papers will also be incorporated into the special issue.     

Conceptualizing Heterosexual Identity Development: Issues and Challenges

This article summarizes the work of R. L. Worthington and J. J. Mohr (2002); R. L. Worthington, H. B. Savoy, F. R. Dillon, and E. R. Vernaglia (2002); and J. J. Mohr (2002) on heterosexual identity development that constituted the Major Contribution section of the July 2002 issue of The Counseling Psychologist. The author provides an overview of the 2 independently developed models of heterosexual identity development presented in these articles and discusses implications for counseling practice, training, and research. The author also offers a personal perspective on aspects of this body of work, including points raised by L. A. Gilbert and J. Rader (2002) and K. J. Bieschke (2002) in their reaction papers that followed these articles.