Ethnic Self-Identification and Psychological Well-Being among Minority Youth in the Netherlands

Abstract

In the present study the question is addressed as to whether among minority youth alternative ways of ethnic self-identification are equally healthy in terms of psychological well-being. Four different types of self-identification were distinguished: dissociative, assmilative, acculturative, and marginal. All four were found among Turkish and Chinese youth living in the Netherlands. As predicted, the Turkish subjects showed a stronger dissociative self-identification than the Chinese. Among the Turks an acculturative and especially a marginal orientation was associated with lower self-esteem. Among the Chinese both these orientations were associated with less self-concept stability, less happiness, and a less collectivistic orientation. Collectivism among the Chinese was also found to be positively associated with happiness, but at the same time, among the older subjects, with low self-concept stability.

Acculturation strategy and individual outcomes: Cultural diversity implications for human resource management

“…Hence, they will be less able to match their values with their situation. Indeed, acculturation research has found that marginalized individuals often experience poor mental health and well-being (Eyou et al, 2000;Howard, 1998;Verjuyten & Kwa, 1994). Drawing on cognitive dissonance theory, we anticipate that high levels of cognitive dissonance will be experienced by individuals with low CIS who marginalize resulting in negative psychological well-being.…”

Acculturation and Well-Being among Arab-European Mixed-Ethnic Adolescents in Israel

“…Empirical findings are generally consonant with this speculation. Research has found the integration style strongly linked with high levels of psychological well-being [1,[13][14][15][16], whereas the marginalization style positively associated with high levels of poor mental health [14,15]. The assimilation and separation styles have been positively intermediately linked with psychological well-being and negatively intermediately linked with poor mental health correlates [1,16].…”

Assessment in Multicultural Groups: The Role of Acculturation

“…(e.g. Verkuyten & Kwa, 1994). Second, a pick-and-order Self-Categorisation Task (SCT) asks respondents to choose one or more identities from a list: "To which of the following groups do you consider yourself to belong in the first place, and in the second place?"…”

“…", using a one-question Ethnic Identification Scale (EIS) with four response categories, one for each identity strategy: "both ethnic and host nationality", "mostly ethnic" or "mostly host nationality", or "neither" (e.g. Verkuyten & Kwa, 1994). Lastly, Phinney (1992) has designed a widely used Multigroup Ethnic Identity (MEI) measure to examine the bicultural content of ethnic identity across minority groups.…”