Exploring the mechanisms underlying the social identity–ill-health link: Longitudinal and experimental evidence

There is strong and consistent evidence that identification with social groups is an important predictor of (ill-)health-related outcomes. However, the mediating mechanisms of the social identification–health link remain unclear. We present results from two studies, which aimed to test how perceived social support and collective self-efficacy mediate the effect of social identification on emotional exhaustion, chronic stress, and depressive symptoms. Study 1 (N = 180) employed a longitudinal two-wave design, whereas Study 2 (N = 100) used a field-experimental design with a manipulation of participants’ social identity. Both studies consistently show that social identification was positively related to perceived social support, which, in turn, was positively associated with collective self-efficacy. Collective self-efficacy, finally, was negatively related to ill-health outcomes.