The present work takes on the topic of authenticity among emerging adults, reflecting in particular on the ties between authenticity and identity development and on the role of the family context in supporting authentic functioning and individual well-being. Defining one’s identity is a complex task for the emerging adult who faces it, in particular in the modern social context, which is characterized by a multitude of identity possibilities to be selected and integrated. Emerging adults are called to make choices and in this context this is on one hand a stimulating challenge, on the other a source of considerable distress. Moreover, the quality of questions which guide exploration in this phase brings about confrontation with one’s knowledge and awareness of one’s own Self, highlighting matters of authenticity of the individual and of the identity that is being built. Although there is broad theoretical literature and growing empirical studies on the concept of authenticity, its definition and its implications for personal well-being, scarce attention has been dedicated to the relationship between authenticity and identity, despite the strong theoretical link between the two constructs. Moving from these considerations, the first part of the present work is dedicated to the relationship between authenticity and identity in emerging adults. The concepts of emerging adulthood, identity formation and authenticity are defined thoroughly, the latter starting from its history in philosophical and psychological thinking. Following, a first empirical study presents an analysis of the connections between authenticity and identity formation in emerging adulthood and confronts two different analytical approaches, underlining potential advantages of a person centered statistical approach. The second part of the essay turns its attention towards the elements of the social context, particularly the family context, able to support an authentic development and functioning. Indeed, theoretical and empirical literature converge in suggesting that elements of unconditional acceptance, autonomy support and warmth in the relationships with one’s parents are fundamental for the development of awareness and autonomy, central elements in the definition of authenticity, as well as for sustaining individual well-being also in emerging adulthood. Following an exposition of the main theoretical formulations and empirical contributes on the subject, the results of two empirical studies are presented. The first study verifies the goodness of a model which sees authenticity as a mediator in the relationship between the aforesaid characteristics of the relationship with parents and god psychological adjustment in emerging adult children. The second study considers dyads formed by parents and emerging adult children and it focuses on the links between characteristics of the relationship, parents’ authenticity and children’s authenticity, taking into account possible differences in maternal and paternal dyads. Results of presented works highlight importance of promoting an authentic functioning, especially in the component relative to one’s Self awareness, relative to identity formation in emerging adults. They also underline the relevance of significative relationships characterized by warmth, closeness and acceptance to sustain authenticity and well-being of youth in this developmental phase.

Il presente lavoro di tesi affronta il tema dell’autenticità tra gli adulti emergenti, soffermandosi in particolare sui legami dell’autenticità con lo sviluppo identitario e sul ruolo del contesto familiare di riferimento nel supportare un funzionamento autentico e il benessere dell’individuo. Definire la propria identità è un compito complesso per l’adulto emergente che si trova ad affrontarlo, in particolare nel contesto sociale odierno, caratterizzato da una moltitudine di possibilità identitarie da selezionare e integrare. L’adulto emergente è chiamato a compiere delle scelte e in questo contesto si tratta da un lato di una sfida ricca di stimoli, dall’altro di una fonte di distress non indifferente. La qualità delle domande che guidano l’esplorazione in questa fase, inoltre, porta l’adulto emergente a confrontarsi con la propria conoscenza e consapevolezza di Sé, mettendo in luce il tema dell’autenticità dell’individuo e dell’identità che va costruendosi. Sebbene vi sia un’ampia letteratura teorica e una crescente letteratura empirica relativa al costrutto di autenticità, alla sua definizione e alle sue implicazioni per il benessere della persona, scarsa attenzione è stata dedicata alla relazione tra autenticità e identità, nonostante il forte nesso teorico riscontrabile tra i due costrutti. Muovendo da queste considerazioni, la prima parte del presente elaborato è dedicata al rapporto tra autenticità e identità nell’adulto emergente. Viene dato spazio alla definizione dell’adultità emergente, dei processi di formazione dell’identità e del costrutto di autenticità, a partire dalla sua storia nel pensiero filosofico e psicologico. A seguire, un primo contributo empirico presenta un’analisi dei rapporti tra autenticità e formazione dell’identità nell’adulto emergente e pone a confronto due modalità di analisi degli stessi, evidenziando i potenziali vantaggi di un approccio analitico centrato sulla persona. La seconda parte dell’elaborato volge invece l’attenzione agli elementi del contesto sociale, in particolare del contesto familiare, in grado di supportare uno sviluppo e un funzionamento autentico. La letteratura teorica ed empirica converge infatti nel suggerire che elementi di accettazione incondizionata, supporto all’autonomia e calore nella relazione con i genitori siano fondamentali per lo sviluppo di consapevolezza e autonomia, elementi centrali nella definizione di autenticità, nonché per sostenere il benessere dell’individuo anche nella fase dell’adultità emergente. A seguito dell’esposizione delle principali formulazioni teoriche sull’argomento e dei principali contributi della ricerca in merito, vengono presentati i risultati di due studi empirici. Il primo studio sottopone a verifica empirica il modello che vede l’autenticità come mediatore nella relazione tra dette caratteristiche della relazione con i genitori e il buon adattamento psicologico dell’adulto emergente. Il secondo prende in considerazione diadi di genitori e figli in questa fase dello sviluppo approfondendo i legami tra caratteristiche della relazione, autenticità di genitori e autenticità dei figli e tenendo in considerazione possibili differenze nelle diadi materne e paterne. I risultati degli studi presentati sostengono l’importanza di promuovere un funzionamento autentico, in particolare nella componente relativa alla consapevolezza di Sé, in relazione alla formazione dell’identità degli adulti emergenti. Mettono inoltre in luce la rilevanza di relazioni significative caratterizzate da calore, vicinanza e accettazione a sostegno dell’autenticità dei giovani in questa fase evolutiva e del loro benessere.

(2021). ON BECOMING ONESELF - Autenticità nell’adultità emergente. (Tesi di dottorato, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, 2021).

ON BECOMING ONESELF - Autenticità nell’adultità emergente

NICOLOTTI, MATILDE
2021

Abstract

The present work takes on the topic of authenticity among emerging adults, reflecting in particular on the ties between authenticity and identity development and on the role of the family context in supporting authentic functioning and individual well-being. Defining one’s identity is a complex task for the emerging adult who faces it, in particular in the modern social context, which is characterized by a multitude of identity possibilities to be selected and integrated. Emerging adults are called to make choices and in this context this is on one hand a stimulating challenge, on the other a source of considerable distress. Moreover, the quality of questions which guide exploration in this phase brings about confrontation with one’s knowledge and awareness of one’s own Self, highlighting matters of authenticity of the individual and of the identity that is being built. Although there is broad theoretical literature and growing empirical studies on the concept of authenticity, its definition and its implications for personal well-being, scarce attention has been dedicated to the relationship between authenticity and identity, despite the strong theoretical link between the two constructs. Moving from these considerations, the first part of the present work is dedicated to the relationship between authenticity and identity in emerging adults. The concepts of emerging adulthood, identity formation and authenticity are defined thoroughly, the latter starting from its history in philosophical and psychological thinking. Following, a first empirical study presents an analysis of the connections between authenticity and identity formation in emerging adulthood and confronts two different analytical approaches, underlining potential advantages of a person centered statistical approach. The second part of the essay turns its attention towards the elements of the social context, particularly the family context, able to support an authentic development and functioning. Indeed, theoretical and empirical literature converge in suggesting that elements of unconditional acceptance, autonomy support and warmth in the relationships with one’s parents are fundamental for the development of awareness and autonomy, central elements in the definition of authenticity, as well as for sustaining individual well-being also in emerging adulthood. Following an exposition of the main theoretical formulations and empirical contributes on the subject, the results of two empirical studies are presented. The first study verifies the goodness of a model which sees authenticity as a mediator in the relationship between the aforesaid characteristics of the relationship with parents and god psychological adjustment in emerging adult children. The second study considers dyads formed by parents and emerging adult children and it focuses on the links between characteristics of the relationship, parents’ authenticity and children’s authenticity, taking into account possible differences in maternal and paternal dyads. Results of presented works highlight importance of promoting an authentic functioning, especially in the component relative to one’s Self awareness, relative to identity formation in emerging adults. They also underline the relevance of significative relationships characterized by warmth, closeness and acceptance to sustain authenticity and well-being of youth in this developmental phase.
MAGRIN, MARIA ELENA
Autenticità; Identità; Adulto Emergente; Supporto autonomia; Accettazione
Authenticity; Identity; Emerging Adult; Autonomy Support; Accettazione
M-PSI/05 - PSICOLOGIA SOCIALE
Italian
28-giu-2021
PSICOLOGIA, LINGUISTICA E NEUROSCIENZE COGNITIVE
33
2019/2020
open
(2021). ON BECOMING ONESELF - Autenticità nell’adultità emergente. (Tesi di dottorato, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, 2021).
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Descrizione: Tesi PhD Nicolotti - Becoming Oneself - Definitiva
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10281/325879
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