Testing a Model of Minority Identity Achievement, Identity Affirmation, and Psychological Well-Being Among Ethnic Minority and Sexual Minority Individuals
Testing a Model of Minority Identity Achievement, Identity Affirmation, and Psychological Well-Being Among Ethnic Minority and Sexual Minority Individuals
复制标题
DOI：
10.1037/a0022532
复制
发表时间：
2011-01-01
影响因子：
3.3
通讯作者：
Wittig, Michele A.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Ghavami, Negin;Fingerhut, Adam;Wittig, Michele A.
少数群体的社会认同与心理健康有何关系？借鉴身份形成的发展模型（例如，Erikson，1968）和社会身份理论（Tajfel＆Turner，1979），我们测试了一个概念模型，检查社会身份和心理健康两个关键方面之间的联系。我们提出，身份成就（探索和理解一个人身份的意义）与心理健康之间的关联是通过身份肯定（发展积极的情感和对一个人的社会群体的归属感）来调节的。在三项研究中，包括少数族裔高中生（研究 1）、少数族裔大学生（研究 2）以及男女同性恋成年人（研究 3），我们发现该模型得到了强有力的支持。结果表明，探索和理解一个人的少数群体身份的过程可以作为发展对群体的积极情感和增强对群体的依恋感的重要基础，这反过来又可以为少数群体个体带来心理益处。讨论了未来研究的意义和方向。
How is social identity related to psychological well-being among minority individuals? Drawing on developmental models of identity formation (e.g., Erikson, 1968) and on Social Identity Theory (Tajfel & Turner, 1979), we tested a conceptual model examining links between two key aspects of social identity and psychological well-being. We proposed that the association between identity achievement (exploring and understanding the meaning of one's identity) and psychological well-being is mediated by identity affirmation (developing positive feelings and a sense of belonging to one's social group). Across three studies, including ethnic minority high school students (Study 1), ethnic minority college students (Study 2) and lesbian and gay male adults (Study 3), we found strong support for the model. Results suggest that the process of exploring and understanding one's minority identity can serve as an important basis for developing positive feelings toward and an enhanced sense of attachment to the group, which can in turn confer psychological benefits for minority individuals. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.