The relationship between youth collective identity and mental health: an cross-sectional analysis

Objective: Based on the two-factor model of mental health, this study aims to explore the longitudinal relationship between adolescents’ identification with their common internal group and mental health outcomes such as depression and life satisfaction. Methods: A total of 671 adolescents aged 13–18 years were surveyed twice over a one-year period using scales measuring identification with their common internal group, depression, and life satisfaction. Cross-lagged regression models were used to examine the relationships between identification with the common internal group and depression as well as life satisfaction. Results: (1) There was a significant simultaneous correlation between adolescents’ identification with their common internal group and both depression and life satisfaction. (2) Cross-lagged analysis revealed that at T1, identification with the common internal group…