The Relationships Between Personal Identity, National Identity, and Well-Being

Personal and national identities can play a pivotal role in understanding youth well-being in increasingly diverse societies. However, previous research has predominantly focused on Western contexts, overlooking youth from non-Western societies. Furthermore, there is a scarcity of research that simultaneously examined both personal and national identities in relation to well-being. To address this gap, this study focused on youth belonging to a majority group in Japan, confronting augmented cultural variations, and addressed relationships between personal and national identities and their links to well-being.

This cross-sectional study included 968 university students in Japan aged 18-29 years (M_age = 20.06, SD = 1.17; 51.34% women) who identified their nationality as Japanese. Participants completed in 2016 self-report questionnaires, including measures of personal and national identity processes and well-being.

Personal identity commitment and in-depth exploration were positively associated with national identity exploration and commitment, whereas personal identity reconsideration of commitment was positively associated with national identity exploration. Personal identity commitment and national identity exploration were positively related to well-being, and personal identity reconsideration of commitment was negatively related to well-being.

This study contributes to understanding the interplay between personal and national identity processes and their relations with well-being among youth in a majority group outside Western countries. Given the importance of identity for young people's adjustment and for fostering their sense of social responsibility, this study may have significant practical implications for promoting both individual well-being and social cohesion.