Differentiation of Self and Well-being: The Moderating Effect of Self-construal

Abstract

Differentiation of self is defined at the interpersonal level as the ability to achieve emotional autonomy from the family of origin while maintaining a degree of connectedness and at the intrapsychic level as the capacity to distinguish thoughts from feelings (Kerr and Bowen (1988) Family evaluation. W. W. Norton and Company, New York). Research indicates that differentiation of self is positively related to well-being (Skowron et al. (2009) Contemp Fam Ther 31:3–18. doi:10.1007/s10591-008-9075-1; Murdock and Gore (2004) Contemp Fam Ther 26(3):319–335. doi:10.1023/B:COFT.0000037918.53929.18), and that cultural forces of individualism and collectivism may affect this relationship (Chung and Gale (2006) Contemp Fam Ther 28:367–381. doi:10.1007/s10591-006-9013-z). However, no previous studies have looked at the impact of self-construal, or how one views the self in relation to others, on the relationship between differentiation of self and well-being at the individual level. The purpose of this study was to determine if self-construal moderates the relationship between differentiation of self and well-being among US college students, with a focus on within-culture variation. The results indicated that differentiation of self is positively correlated with independent self-construal and negatively correlated with interdependent self-construal. In addition, independent self-construal moderates the relationship between differentiation of self and well-being such that high levels of independent self-construal serve as a buffer to psychological symptoms for those with low levels of differentiation of self. We also found that fusion and emotional reactivity, aspects of differentiation of self, mediate the relationship between interdependent self-construal and well-being.