Self-Concept Organization Across the Adult Life Span

描述（由申请人提供）：两项研究旨在调查整个成年期自我概念组织的年龄差异，以及不同自我概念组织与情感调节相关的程度。这些目标是通过研究（a）健康成人样本和（B）接受癌症治疗的成人样本来实现的。具体目标是： (1)要检查在整个成人寿命的自我概念组织的年龄差异：虽然与年轻年龄组的研究已经记录了自我复杂性（SC）和自我概念分化（SCD）的压力调节作用，这些自我概念组织在成年期的适应价值及其与年龄的关系的知识是有限的。根据早期工作的发现，假设SC在中年时最高，在年轻人和老年人中较低。相反，假设SCD在中年最低，在年轻人和老年人中较高。 (2)通过模拟影响自我概念组织和日常压力的日常变化来研究自我表征的自我调节作用：自我相关知识对人际功能和自我行为的调节很重要。在这方面的现有工作的基础上，每日日记的研究，提出了一个30天的时间内检查自我陈述的自我调节功能。具体而言，个体内和个体间的影响变异性将被建模为日常压力和SC和SCD的函数。据推测，SC和SCD将缓和日常压力的影响内和个体间的差异，在日常的影响。 (3)研究自我表征对成年癌症患者情感调节的自我调节作用：接受癌症治疗对一个人的自我概念、自我调节和PWB产生了深刻的挑战。建议对60名前列腺癌男性（45岁以上）和60名乳腺癌女性（45岁以上）进行每日日记研究。预计SC和SCD对情感变异性的影响在癌症患者中将显著强于其健康对应者。还假设SC和SCD对情感可变性的调节作用在癌症样品中比在健康样品中显著（p <0.05）更大。 这些研究的结果将通过提供对健康和患病成年人的自我概念组织在情感调节中的作用的更准确的理解来推进该领域。本申请是根据新的调查员规定提交的

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Two studies are proposed to investigate age differences in self-concept organization across the adult life span, and the extent to which different self-concept organizations are related to affect regulation. These goals are addressed by studying (a) a sample of healthy adults, and (b) a sample of adults who are treated for cancer. The specific aims are: (1) To examine age differences in self-concept organization across the adult life span: Although research with younger age groups has documented the stress-moderating effects of self-complexity (SC) and self-concept differentiation (SCD), knowledge about the adaptive value of these self-concept organizations in adulthood and their relationship with age is limited. Based on findings from earlier work, it is hypothesized that SC will be highest in middle age and lower in young and older adults. Conversely, SCD is hypothesized to be lowest in middle age and higher in young and older adults. (2) To examine the self-regulatory effects of self-representations by modeling daily variation in affect as a function of self-concept organization and daily stress: Self-related knowledge is important for interpersonal functioning and for the regulation of one's own behavior. Building on the existing work in this area, a daily diary study is proposed to examine the self-regulatory functions of self-representations over a 30-day period. Specifically, intra- and inter-individual variability in affect will be modeled as a function of daily stress and SC and SCD. It is hypothesized that SC and SCD will moderate the effects of daily stress on intra- and inter-individual variability in daily affect. (3) To examine the self-regulatory effects of self-representations on affect regulation in adult cancer patients: Being treated for cancer challenges a person's self-concept, self-regulation, and PWB in profound ways. A daily diary study is proposed drawing on 60 men (age 45+) with prostate cancer and 60 women (age 45+) with breast cancer. It is expected that the effect of SC and SCD on affect variability will be significantly stronger in cancer patients than in their healthy counterparts. It is also hypothesized that the moderating effects of SC and SCD on affect variability are significantly (p < .05) greater in the cancer sample than in the healthy sample. The results of these studies will advance the field by providing a more accurate understanding of the role of self-concept organization in affect regulation in healthy and ill adults. This application is submitted under the new investigator provision