Coming of age in Spain: the self‐identification, beliefs and self‐esteem of the second generation¹

Abstract

We review the literature on determinants of ethnic/national self-identities and self-esteem as a prelude to examining these outcomes among a large, statistically representative sample of second generation adolescents in Madrid and Barcelona. While these psycho-social outcomes are malleable, they still represent important dimensions of immigrant adaptation and can have significant consequences both for individual mobility and collective mobilizations. Current theories are largely based on data from the USA and other Anglophone countries. The availability of a new large Spanish survey allows us to test those theories in an entirely different socio-cultural context. The analysis concludes with a structural equations model that summarizes key determinants of national identities and self-esteem among children of immigrants in Spain. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Adjustment Outcomes of Native and Immigrant Youth in Spain: A Mediation Model

“…Accordingly, results confirmed the mediating role of psychological adjustment between family support and school adjustment (both samples) and problem behaviors (Spanish sample). Consistent with previous studies (Harker, 2001;Portes et al, 2011;Sam & Virta, 2003;Suldo & Huebner, 2004), family support was confirmed to be an important variable related to adolescents' psychological adjustment.…”

“…Even if there are many factors contributing to the psychological adjustment of adolescents, family is especially important for adolescents' life satisfaction (Sam & Virta, 2003) and their self-esteem (Portes, Vickstrom, & Aparicio, 2011). Although all parenting dimensions (i.e., strictness-supervision, social support/ involvement and psychological autonomy granting) are positively related to life satisfaction, perceived parental social support (i.e., family support) is the strongest correlate (Suldo & Huebner, 2004).…”

Initial medication non‐adherence: prevalence and predictive factors in a cohort of 1.6 million primary care patients

“…Cultural beliefs and GP-patient communication might explain these rates, as other authors previously pointed out [30,31]. Young immigrants, possibly better adapted to the system [32,33], have lower rates of IMNA than Spaniards. However, little is known about the adaptation of the young immigrant population to the health care system.…”

Citizen Outsider: Children of North African Immigrants in France

“…I situate growing up French as a question because respondents relate how their place within France was first questioned at an early age. This is reminiscent of the experiences of second-generation immigrants in other societies (Alba and Waters 2011;Essed 1991;Kasinitz et al 2004;Portes et al 2011;Waters 2000) but also complicated in the French context because racial and ethnic categories are not acknowledged as meaningful bases for identity. There are no identity "options" (Waters 2000).…”

“…Second-generation immigrants in other societies occupy a liminal status between the country where they were born and raised and their parents' home country-never feeling as if they belong in one or the other, or in both (Eid 2008;Imoagene 2012;Kasinitz et al 2004;PRC 2013;Portes and Rumbaut 2001;Portes et al 2011;and Zhou and Lee 2007). For second-generation immigrants who manage to be upwardly mobile, there is another dimension to navigate as cultural broker-their dual minority and middle-class status (Warikoo 2011).…”