How negative parenting might hamper identity development: spontaneous aggressiveness and personal belief in a just world

ABSTRACT

Based on studies indicating that identity formation is shaped by perceived negative parenting and personal factors, we hypothesized that negative parenting relates to adolescents’ self-reported spontaneous aggressiveness and their personal belief in a just world and consequently, is associated with problems developing a firm meaningful interpersonal identity. In a series of four studies, we gathered data from 807 German students aged between 13 and 18 years by using two well-validated methods for measuring of identity development (i.e., Extended Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status, Study 1; Utrecht-Management of Identity Commitments Scale, Studies 2/4). Analyses revealed an indirect link of negative parenting on facets of identity development via spontaneous aggressiveness (Studies 1 and 2). Based on findings that negative parenting was associated with spontaneous aggressiveness via personal belief in a just world (Study 3), analyses conducted in Study 4 indicate a two-staged indirect link of negative parenting on facets of identity development through personal belief in a just world and spontaneous aggressiveness. Above all, problems in the development of and satisfaction with personal meaningful identity commitments could be verified. Implications for research on interpersonal identity formation are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Perceived negative parenting
• interpersonal identity
• spontaneous aggressiveness
• personal belief in a just world

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. Additionally, correlations between negative parenting and spontaneous aggressiveness were separately computed for both age-groups to scrutinize the meaningfulness of data on spontaneous aggressiveness among adolescents aged younger than 15 years. In both subsamples, a significant association was found (below 15 years: r = .36; p < .01; 15 years and above: r = .43; p < .001). By using Fisher r-to-z transformation it was shown that both correlation indices do not significantly differ from each other (z = −.62).

2. A rerun of analyses with controlling for the identity scales that show significant associations with the identity facet under consideration (e.g., controlling the level of identity diffusion in analyses on identity achievement; see Table 1) does not substantially change findings reported in text on any of the four facets of identity. As data of students were assessed in two different types of secondary schools, it was tested whether type of school is associated with any of the measurements. Analyses did not indicate any significant effect of school type on psychological measurements.

3. The development of indices for interpersonal identity development were justified by significant correlations between the three identity dimensions assessed for the domains family and friends (rs = .25*** to .31***).

4. By using Fisher r-to-z transformation it was, again, shown that correlation indices in the younger (r = .44; p < .001) and the older age-group (r = .29; p < .01) do not significantly differ from each other (z = 1.37).

5. A rerun of analyses with controlling for the identity dimensions that are significantly related to the identity facet under consideration (see Table 3) does not change findings reported in text.

6. Controlling for additional identity dimensions in analyses (see Table 7) does not alter findings related to identity commitment. With respect to in-depth exploration, however, the indirect effect of negative parenting on in-depth exploration via personal belief in a just world reaches level of significance (indirect effect = .19; S.E. = .08; 95% confidence interval: .07 to .39): Perceived negative parenting relates to lower levels of personal belief in a just world which in turn is associated with higher levels of in-depth exploration. Including commitment in analyses on reconsideration of commitment does not alter the indirect effect of negative parenting on level of reconsideration via personal belief in a just world and spontaneous aggressiveness. Yet, the indirect effect of negative parenting on reconsideration via belief in just world does not become significant. Like in study 1, data of students were assessed in two different types of secondary schools. Again, analyses did not point to any significant associations of school type with psychological measurements.