Is "We" Stronger Than "I"? The Role of Identity Orientations in Predicting Adolescent Subjective Well-Being Beyond Basic Psychological Needs

The role of self-construal in subjective well-being (SWB) among adolescents is poorly understood. Therefore, the main goal of the present study was to investigate the relationships between self-construal (i.e. four identity orientations: personal, relational, public, and collective) as conceptualized within the tetrapartite model of the self and adolescent SWB (i.e. life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect). Furthermore, we examined whether identity orientations have a unique role in predicting adolescent SWB over and above the satisfaction and frustration of basic psychological needs (autonomy, relatedness, and competence). A final sample consisted of 1,933 adolescents from Serbia (62.2% female), with a mean age of 15.66 years. The data were analyzed using the structural equation modeling. We found evidence that collective identity orientation was the most influential aspect of identity for adolescent SWB, while public identity orientation had a weak, but robust negative contribution to SWB. Personal and relational identity orientations had limited predictive value for SWB. Collective identity orientation had a unique contribution in explaining adolescent SWB over and above satisfaction and frustration of basic psychological needs.