Showing papers on "Ethnic identity development published in 2009"

The Importance of Identity, History, and Culture in the Wellbeing of Indigenous Youth

Abstract: 1but the behavioral health consequences for them have been well documented. These historical events have been linked to acculturation stress and identity conflicts, and rapid social change has been associated with significant health problems among Indigenous young people. 2–5 Conversely, studies have consistently found robust correlations between positive affiliation and engagement with their culture and Indigenous young people’s well-being and resilience. 6–9 Resilience, consists in the processes by which people overcome life challenges to achieve their sense of well-being. Although the connection between culture and these processes are clear, previous studies have neglected to describe how cultural identity plays into Indigenous youth wellness and resilience. Specifically, they have failed to explain how a strong and positive link to their culture supports young people, especially as they encounter and respond to hardships. In this article, I will present a model for understanding the role of ethnic identity development in Indigenous youth resilience and will point to the value of historical consciousness in that process.

Sexual and ethnic identity development among gay-bisexual-questioning (GBQ) male ethnic minority adolescents.

Abstract: Identity development is a critical task of adolescence and occurs across multiple areas of self-identification. Although research on the identity development process among individuals who are ethnic and sexual minorities has been conducted for individuals who have 1 minority status or the other, few studies have examined these processes in people who are both ethnic and sexual minorities. In this qualitative study, the authors examined the dual identity development processes related to ethnic and sexual identity among gay-bisexual-questioning (GBQ) Latino and African American male adolescents. Results indicated that the processes associated with the development of sexual orientation and ethnic identity occur concurrently. However, the actual processes involved with the development of each identity not only differed, but seemed to be independent of each other because neither process was referenced in the development of the other. Overall, the process of ethnic identity development involved the process of becoming aware of one's ethnic and cultural heritage, whereas sexual identity development involved finding one's own personally relevant sexual orientation label and connecting to that community. The implications of these findings for the development of interventions to assist in the healthy development of GBQ adolescents are discussed.

The Development of Children’s Ethnic Identity in Immigrant Chinese Families in Canada The Role of Parenting Practices and Children’s Perceptions of Parental Family Obligation Expectations

Abstract: Parents’ role in children’s ethnic identity development was examined among 95 immigrant Chinese families with young adolescents living in Canada. Children reported their feelings of ethnic identity and perceptions of parental family obligation expectations. Parents reported their family obligation expectations; parents and children reported on parenting practices. Mothers’ expectations, but not fathers’, were positively associated with children’s feelings of ethnic identity. This relation was mediated by children’s perceptions of parental expectations, suggesting that children must first perceive their parents’ expectations for these expectations to influence their ethnic identity. More positive parenting practices were related to stronger feelings of ethnic identity. Mothers’ parenting practices moderated the relations between mothers’ expectations and children’s ethnic affirmation and belonging. The results suggest immigrant mothers’ family obligation expectations provide an avenue for positive family i...

Theories of Human Development that Enhance an Understanding of the College Transition Process.

Abstract: Background/Context: Although theories of human development often play a central role in K‐12 pedagogical practices, evidence suggests that developmental theories have not been used extensively to understand the college transition process or to develop programs to sup port students during these transitions. Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of the Study: The author reviews theories of identity development, racial identity development, and intrinsic motivation to (a) under stand how diverse developmental characteristics, stages/tasks, and cultural processes affect the college transition process and (b) identify strategies for preparing diverse students for, and supporting them during, their transitions to college. Research Design: Salient theories of human development, particularly from the fields of social and cross-cultural psychology, were identified and critically reviewed. Conclusions/Recommendations: The results indicate that in addition to providing students with adequate academic preparation and funding, college faculty and staff must also understand and support college student identity development (including ethnic identity development) and seek to foster intrinsic motivation among students.

Ethnicity in college : advancing theory and improving diversity practices on campus

Abstract: This book explores the importance, and construction, of ethnic identity among college students, and how ethnicity interfaces with students interactions on campus, and the communities in which they live. Based on qualitative interviews with White, Latina/o, African American and Asian students, it captures both the college context and the individual experiences students have with their ethnicity, through the immediacy of the students own voices.The authors observe how students negotiate their ethnic identity within the process of becoming adults. They identify the influences of family, the importance of socio-historical forces that surround students educational experiences, and the critical role of peers in students ethnic identity development. While research has begun to document the positive outcomes associated with diverse learning environments, this study emphasizes and more closely delineates, just how these outcomes come to be. In addition, the study reveals how the freedom to express and develop ethnic identity, which multicultural environments ideally support, promotes student confidence and achievement in ways which students themselves can articulate. This work is distinctive in eschewing an ethnic minority perspective through which Whites are the primary reference group, and the standard from which all ethnic and racial identity processes evolve; as well as in considering the influences that growing up in a multi-ethnic context may have on ethnic identity processes, particularly where the other is not White. This perspective is particularly important at a time when students entering universities are more likely to come from highly segregated high school environments, and will confront ethnic and social differences for the first time in college.This book is intended as a resource for researchers and practitioners in psychology and higher education. It offers insights for student affairs and higher education administrators and leaders about the ways in which their campus policies and practices can positively influence the development of more supportive campus climates that draw on the strengths of each ethnic group to create an overarching pluralistic culture. It can also serve as a cultural diversity text for upper division or graduate courses on pluralism. Moreover, understanding students ethnic identity, their personal growth, and adjustment to college, it is central to preparing individuals for life in a pluralistic society. "

Group Counseling for African American Elementary Students: An Exploratory Study.

Abstract: This article describes a group counseling intervention promoting academic achievement and ethnic identity development for twenty fifth grade African American elementary students. The Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM) scores of students participating in the treatment group improved significantly over those in the control group. Implications for school counselors and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Using Film as a Multicultural Awareness Tool in Teacher Education

Abstract: Multicultural awareness education is an important first step in preparing future teachers to become effective instructors of diverse classrooms. Whereas there are a variety of ways to develop multicultural awareness, we have found film to be an effective and exciting teaching tool. We applied film as a means of facilitating in-depth reflection and discussion on cultural issues in the freshman seminar course for Education students, Film and Society, and studied the impact of the course on students' ethnic identity development. In a pretest/posttest empirical design, students scored significantly higher on two of the factors of the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure at the end of the course. This article outlines the course rationale and design, presents the results of our study, and discusses the implications of these findings.

The role of majority managers' ethnic identity development on minority employee perceptions of support

Abstract: Potential sources of variance were examined to explain within-group differences in White managers’ abilities to manage non-White employees. Majority manager and minority employee survey responses were matched to form 142 superior-subordinate cross-race dyads. Ethnic identity development, ethnic group self-identification, education, and participation in diversity training were measured. Additionally, the relationship between ethnic identity and minority employee perceptions of managerial support were examined. Results show that almost 20% of the majority respondents defined their ethnicity as something other than White. Findings suggest that majority members who perceive themselves as a minority (e.g., German American) may have developed a higher ethnic identity as a result of exploring their own ethnic background. Although education and participation in diversity training were not related to ethnic identity development, a significant relationship was found between the interaction of manager and employee ethnic identity and managerial support. Implications for corporate diversity initiatives are discussed.

Ethnic Labeling in Mexican-Origin Youth: A Qualitative Assessment

Abstract: Outcomes are reported from a qualitative investigation addressing ethnic label selection, meaning, use, and influences upon Mexican-origin youth. Participants selected multiple labels with distinct meanings and influences. Findings indicate a need for school counselors to honor student label selection and to advocate for variable label use by school professionals and in school documentation. School counselors can provide resources and venues to facilitate student exploration of ethnic labels, as one key component of ethnic identity development.

Youths of Mexican Descent of the Southwest: Exploring Differences in Ethnic Labels.

Abstract: Knowledge of the factors that influence youths’ choice of racial or ethnic labels will help us understand intragroup diversity, suggest ways in which school social workers can support youth’s ethnic identity development, and learn if youth who choose different combinations of labels may be grouped together for research purposes. This study of 2,857 Mexican-origin youth in the U.S. Southwest found that linguistic acculturation, socioeconomic status, and educational aspirations are related to choice of ethnic labels. Implications for social work interventions in schools and for future research are offered.

Racial/Ethnic Identity among Creole Peoples in Mauritius

Abstract: This article provides the findings of qualitative research into the perceptions of racial/ethnic identity among the Creole community of Mauritius. Participants were 24 Creole Mauritians (males = 16, females = 8, age range = 22–69 years). Interview data were collected and analyzed primarily through a hermeneutic (phenomenoligically-oriented) (van Manen, 1997) process. Six major themes of racial/ethnic identity emerged: experiences of dis-ease, experiences of stuckness (ad-extra and ad-intra), epiphany experiences, experiences of self-appreciation, and experiences of hopeful optimism. The themes describe individual processes of racial/ethnic identity development as well as sociopolitical obstacles to positive identity formation among the Creole.

University for Diversity: A Case Study

Abstract: A study of a university diversity initiative that trained faculty to create and teach interdisciplinary “diversity courses” resulted in significant student gains on a pre-/post questionnaire assessing multicultural awareness and skills, as well as increased ethnic identity development as measured using the Multi Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM). Qualitative analyses revealed that college students attending a multicultural institution with a dedicated mission of promoting diversity, perceived themselves as better prepared for entering a multicultural work place. This study demonstrates one model for stimulating faculty and students to increase discussion of diversity issues in the curriculum as they prepare for working in diverse communities.

Where Am I? Refugee Youth Living in the United States

Abstract: Based on a qualitative study of fifteen female refugees from Bosnia, this article explores the contribution of critical theories to refugee identity development in the context of the educational setting. The article examines both the theoretical and the practical discussions of ethnic identity development among refugees attending secondary schools in New York. By applying research from the ‘cultural turn’ to the study of refugee education and adaptation, the article challenges the validity of current educational and psychological theories in refugee adaptation, and, by extension, opens up debates around long-held beliefs about refugee ‘adaptation’ to the United States. By examining the role of schools in adaptation, this article shows how the debates objectify the individual, and how the needs of refugee populations can be better met by their teachers and schools even when the students are academically successful. Refugees have experienced life as tenuous and fragile, and they understand the meaning of transience. Hence, they tend to strive to ensure that they have basic, transferable skills and knowledge, which they acquire through education. With a critical theoretical lens, it becomes clear that by incorporating the experiences of students into the classroom, educators not only work to overcome the hidden curriculum that confines and encloses refugees as ‘other,’ but also enrich the classroom for both the refugee students and their classmates.

The Journey of Identity Development for Jewish Millennial College Students

Abstract: This paper discusses the ethnoreligious identity development of the Jewish millennial college student Through analyzing Parks’ (1986, 2000) theory of faith development and Phinney’s (1992, 1996) model of ethnic identity development, this paper examines the shift from institutionalized Jewish community to non-institutionalized, Jewish peer networks of belonging and proposes that this shift occurs to help Jewish students make meaning of their minority identity within a majority White and Christian campus culture