title: The roles of identity formation and moral identity in college student mental health, health-risk behaviors, and psychological well-being.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined the roles of identity formation and moral identity in predicting college student mental health (anxiety and depressive symptoms), health-risk behaviors (hazardous alcohol use and sexual risk taking), and psychological well-being (self-esteem and meaning).
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample comprised 9,500 college students (aged 18-25 years, mean = 19.78, standard deviation = 1.61; 73% female; 62% European American), from 31 different universities, who completed an online self-report survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Structural equation models found that identity maturity (commitment making and identity synthesis) predicted 5 of the health outcomes (except sexual risk taking), and moral identity predicted all of the health outcomes. In most cases identity maturity and moral identity also interacted in predicting mental health and psychological well-being, but not health-risk behaviors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The maturity and specific contents of identity may both play unique and often interactive roles in predicting college student health. Thus, college student health might be bolstered by helping them establish appropriate identity commitments.
authors.affiliation: Brigham Young University, USA. sam_hardy@byu.edu
authors.forename: Sam A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Hardy
authors.forename: Stephen W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Francis
authors.forename: Byron L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Zamboanga
authors.forename: Su Yeong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Spencer G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Larry F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Forthun
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting / Q000379:methods; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D009014:Morals; D012309:Risk-Taking; D057566:Self Report; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D012933:Social Identification; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult