Reciprocal associations between identity confusion and adolescent NSSI: The longitudinal mediation effect of alienation

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1041.2025.0247

Abstract

Abstract:

Adolescence is a critical period of identity development, which is accompanied by psychosocial maladjustment (e.g., non-suicidal self-injury). In this study, the random intercept cross-lagged panel model (RI-CLPM) was employed to separate between- and within-person effects, and to test the mediation role of alienation in the reciprocal relations between identity confusion and adolescent non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). A sample of 1258 Chinese middle school students (50.1% girls; M_age at Wave 1 = 13.81 years) completed self-report questionnaires regarding identity confusion, alienation, and NSSI at three time points (called T1, T2, and T3), with 6-month intervals. Results showed that identity confusion and NSSI were mutually reinforcing at the within-person level when controlling for between-person effects. Specifically, T1 NSSI positively predicted T2 identity confusion, which in turn positively predicted T3 NSSI. T2 NSSI also positively predicted T3 identity confusion. More importantly, T2 alienation longitudinally mediated the association between T1 NSSI and T3 identity confusion. Based on Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development, this study connects adolescent developmental tasks and NSSI on time scales, which has implications for the prevention and intervention of NSSI in adolescents.

Key words: identity confusion, non-suicidal self-injury, alienation, random intercept cross-lagged panel model, adolescence

GU Honglei, YU Weiming, CHENG Yufang. (2025). Reciprocal associations between identity confusion and adolescent NSSI: The longitudinal mediation effect of alienation. Acta Psychologica Sinica, 57(2), 247-259.

Figures/Tables 4

References 86

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	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
1. T1 Identity confusion	—
2. T2 Identity confusion	0.58^***	—
3. T3 Identity confusion	0.52^***	0.59^***	—
4. T1 Alienation	0.66^***	0.54^***	0.46^***	—
5. T2 Alienation	0.51^***	0.67^***	0.55^***	0.68^***	—
6. T3 Alienation	0.14^***	0.53^***	0.68^***	0.56^***	0.66^***	—
7. T1 NSSI	0.33^***	0.29^***	0.25^***	0.40^***	0.34^***	0.31^***	—
8. T2 NSSI	0.25^***	0.32^***	0.29^***	0.33^***	0.41^***	0.36^***	0.53^***	—
9. T3 NSSI	0.16^***	0.27^***	0.28^***	0.22^***	0.31^***	0.38^***	0.45^***	0.61^***	—
M	2.84	2.83	2.82	3.19	3.22	3.20	1.31	1.24	1.22
SD	0.82	0.83	0.80	1.17	1.28	1.22	0.67	0.62	0.65

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
1. T1 Identity confusion	—
2. T2 Identity confusion	0.58^***	—
3. T3 Identity confusion	0.52^***	0.59^***	—
4. T1 Alienation	0.66^***	0.54^***	0.46^***	—
5. T2 Alienation	0.51^***	0.67^***	0.55^***	0.68^***	—
6. T3 Alienation	0.14^***	0.53^***	0.68^***	0.56^***	0.66^***	—
7. T1 NSSI	0.33^***	0.29^***	0.25^***	0.40^***	0.34^***	0.31^***	—
8. T2 NSSI	0.25^***	0.32^***	0.29^***	0.33^***	0.41^***	0.36^***	0.53^***	—
9. T3 NSSI	0.16^***	0.27^***	0.28^***	0.22^***	0.31^***	0.38^***	0.45^***	0.61^***	—
M	2.84	2.83	2.82	3.19	3.22	3.20	1.31	1.24	1.22
SD	0.82	0.83	0.80	1.17	1.28	1.22	0.67	0.62	0.65

Model	χ²	df	CFI	TLI	RMSEA	Model comparison	ΔCFI	ΔRMSEA
Identity confusion
M₁: Configural Invariance	245.30	114	0.973	0.964	0.030
M₂: Weak Invariance	260.99	124	0.972	0.966	0.030	M₂?M₁	-0.001	0.000
M₃: Strong Invariance	292.53	134	0.968	0.963	0.031	M₃?M₂	-0.004	0.001
M₄: Strict Invariance	486.15	158	0.933	0.935	0.041	M₄?M₃	-0.035	0.010
Alienation
M₁: Configural Invariance	45.38	15	0.995	0.987	0.040
M₂: Weak Invariance	50.41	19	0.994	0.989	0.036	M₂?M₁	-0.001	-0.004
M₃: Strong Invariance	102.09	23	0.986	0.978	0.052	M₃?M₂	-0.008	0.016
M₄: Strict Invariance	166.57	35	0.977	0.976	0.055	M₄?M₃	-0.009	0.003
NSSI
M₁: Configural Invariance	410.57	165	0.922	0.901	0.034
M₂: Weak Invariance	420.80	177	0.923	0.908	0.033	M₂?M₁	0.001	-0.001
M₃: Strong Invariance	449.77	189	0.917	0.908	0.033	M₃?M₂	-0.006	0.000
M₄: Strict Invariance	604.54	217	0.877	0.881	0.038	M₄?M₃	-0.040	0.005

Model	χ²	df	CFI	TLI	RMSEA	Model comparison	ΔCFI	ΔRMSEA
Identity confusion
M₁: Configural Invariance	245.30	114	0.973	0.964	0.030
M₂: Weak Invariance	260.99	124	0.972	0.966	0.030	M₂?M₁	-0.001	0.000
M₃: Strong Invariance	292.53	134	0.968	0.963	0.031	M₃?M₂	-0.004	0.001
M₄: Strict Invariance	486.15	158	0.933	0.935	0.041	M₄?M₃	-0.035	0.010
Alienation
M₁: Configural Invariance	45.38	15	0.995	0.987	0.040
M₂: Weak Invariance	50.41	19	0.994	0.989	0.036	M₂?M₁	-0.001	-0.004
M₃: Strong Invariance	102.09	23	0.986	0.978	0.052	M₃?M₂	-0.008	0.016
M₄: Strict Invariance	166.57	35	0.977	0.976	0.055	M₄?M₃	-0.009	0.003
NSSI
M₁: Configural Invariance	410.57	165	0.922	0.901	0.034
M₂: Weak Invariance	420.80	177	0.923	0.908	0.033	M₂?M₁	0.001	-0.001
M₃: Strong Invariance	449.77	189	0.917	0.908	0.033	M₃?M₂	-0.006	0.000
M₄: Strict Invariance	604.54	217	0.877	0.881	0.038	M₄?M₃	-0.040	0.005