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Within Eudaimonic Identity Theory, a central question pertains to what criteria can be used to determine which, among the potential identity-related goals, values, beliefs, and roles a person might choose, represent the "better" choices that one can enact. Eudaimonic Identity Theory proposes that one such criterion is the extent to which identity-related activities are intrinsically motivated. In the present study, a sample of 607 adults completed brief forms of the Questionnaire for Eudaimonic Well-Being and the Personally Expressive Activities Questionnaire. The former is a person-level measure of well-being, whereas the latter assesses aspects of the identity-related activities in which the person engages. Four predictors of intrinsic motivation were assessed: (a) self-determination, (b) the balance of the challenges presented by an activity with the skills one brings to it, (c) self-realization values, and (d) engaged performance in the form of effort. In addition, four types of subjective experiences associated with intrinsic motivation were assessed: (a) interest, (b) flow experiences, (c) feelings of personal expressiveness, and (d) enjoyment. Using multilevel modeling, findings provided consistent support for the hypothesis that eudaimonic well-being was predictive of intrinsic motivation, in terms of both the conditions leading to such motivation and the associated subjective experiences. In addition, the greater the number of predictor variables present at a high level, the higher the level of eudaimonic well-being reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hispanic emerging adults are routinely faced with a variety of cultural stressors that adversely impact mental health and compromise identity development. Given that identity emerges through day-to-day interactions, there is a need to explore the impact of cultural stress on identity development and depressive symptoms at the micro-level (across days). To address these gaps, the current study utilized a 12-day diary study conducted among 792 Hispanic college students (75.9% female, Mage = 20.14 years, SD = 1.85, Range = 18–24 years) to determine the impact of cultural stress on daily identity coherence, identity confusion, depressive symptoms, and the association between identity coherence and confusion and depressive symptoms in this population. Results indicated that Day 1 cultural stress positively predicted average daily depressive symptoms and identity confusion and negatively predicted identity coherence. Finally, cultural stress predicted a stronger daily association between identity confusion and depressive symptoms. As a whole, our findings emphasize the detrimental impact that cultural stressors have on both identity development and depressive symptoms at the daily level. These results are discussed in relation to the specific types of cultural stressors that Hispanic emerging adults face, and the need for appropriate intervention and prevention efforts for this population is emphasized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]