Identity confusion and somatic symptomatology in adolescents and emerging adults: within-person daily associations and the role of negative affect

OBJECTIVE: Theory and cross-sectional and longitudinal research suggest bidirectional relationships between identity and somatic symptomatology in adolescents and emerging adults, but little is known about their day-to-day connections. Therefore, the present study examined daily associations between identity confusion and somatic symptomatology and the role of negative affect in this relationship. METHODS: = 1.51, range = 16-22 years) completed online end-of-day questionnaires for 14 consecutive days (87% compliance). Daily identity confusion was assessed with selected EPSI items, somatic symptoms with the PHQ-15, psychological characteristics with selected SSD-12 items, and negative affect with a daily composite score based on selected affect items. Within-person associations were examined using Dynamic Structural Equation Modelling. RESULTS: Results revealed positive same-day associations between daily identity confusion, somatic symptomatology, and negative affect. Negative affect fully mediated the relationship between identity confusion and somatic symptoms (approximately 67% of the total effect), and partially mediated the relationship between identity confusion and somatic symptom-related thoughts, feelings, and behaviours (approximately 36% of the total effect). Higher-than-usual levels of somatic symptoms and negative affect positively predicted changes in identity confusion on the next day. CONCLUSION: Our findings show dynamic interactions among identity confusion, negative affect, and somatic symptomatology, and negative affect appears to underlie the same-day relationship between an individual's identity and the occurrence of somatic symptomatology. Moreover, within the short time frame of a day, fluctuations in affective or somatic symptoms seem to predict identity confusion.