Links among the Self,Stress, and Psychological Distress during Emerging Adulthood: Comparing Three Theoretical Models |
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Authors: | Moran Schiller Constance C. Hammen |
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Affiliation: | 1. Department of Psychology and Stress, Self, &2. Health (STREALTH) Lab, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheba, Israel;3. Department of Psychology, University of California, Los-Angeles, CA, USA |
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Abstract: | The authors tested three theoretical models linking self, stress, and psychopathological distress in emerging adulthood. The vulnerability model posits that self-concept pathology leads to distress. The scarring model postulates that distress and stress lead to self-concept pathology. The stress generation model stipulates that distress and self-concept pathology lead to the experience of episodic and chronic life stress. Change in ruminative brooding was examined as a potential mechanism in all models. One-hundred and seventy Israeli freshmen (M[age]?=?23.19, 68% females) were followed up three times over the duration of one year. Distress and six dimensions of the self (self-criticism, self-concept inadequacy, hated sense of self, self-esteem, generalized self-efficacy, and self-concept clarity) were assessed repeatedly. Acute and chronic stresses were measured at Time 2 using the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Stress Interview. Distress prospectively predicted self-concept pathology pertaining to all of the dimensions, except self-concept clarity, which was adversely affected by chronic stress. Change in ruminative brooding mediated scarring for self-criticism, a hated self, and self-concept clarity. Low self-esteem emerged as a powerful chronic stress generator. Self-concept clarity was as the only dimension leading to change in distress. In emerging adulthood, psychological distress and—to a lesser extent—chronic stress might “scar” the self. |
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Keywords: | Self stress distress emerging-adulthood scarring hypothesis |
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