Family Contributes Most to Teens' Ethnic Identity, Study Finds
Published: Mar. 27, 2006
URBANA - Across cultures, family socialization plays a significant role in shaping the ethnic identity of adolescents, even when the ethnic composition of the teen's high school and length of time the family has been in the United States are considered, said Adriana Umaña-Taylor in this month's Journal of Family Issues.
"Research has shown a strong correlation between positive ethnic identity and adolescent self-esteem, academic achievement, and ability to cope with discrimination and racism. But little work has been done to show us how ethnic identity develops," said Umaña-Taylor, who began this study while an assistant professor of human development and family studies at the University of Illinois.
The study collected data from 639 adolescents of Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Vietnamese, and Salvadoran descent in three Texas high schools of varying ethnic composition.
Students rated the degree to which their family attempted to socialize them toward their ethnic group, their own ethnic behaviors, and a sense of affirmation and belonging, among other factors. Number of generations the family had been in the United States and perceived ethnic composition of the teens' high schools were also considered.
"In all cultural groups, adolescents who reported a strong ethnic identity also reported that their families had done a lot to teach them about their ethnicity," said Umaña-Taylor, now an assistant professor of family and human development at Arizona State University.
And the more adolescents report having explored their ethnicity, the more they report having a clear sense of who they are and what their ethnic identity means to them, she said.
"Again, that's especially important for minority youth because strong ethnic identity is positively associated with adolescent self-esteem, well-being, and achievement," she said.
Umaña-Taylor said that families can instill ethnic identity in their children in a variety of ways.
"Some parents purposefully teach their children the history of their specific culture and talk about what it means to be a member of their ethnic group. They may also choose to interact most frequently with others who share their ethnic background," she said.
"Other parents socialize their children in more subtle ways--listening to music by members of their ethnic group, eating ethnic foods, celebrating holidays traditionally important in their culture, or decorating the home with items that represent their cultural background."
Even subtle methods are effective because the simple presence of cultural items in the home gives children the opportunity to ask questions and initiate discussion, she said.
"Although we often use membership in ethnic and racial groups to separate people from each other, this study points out an important way in which ethnic groups are similar.
"No matter which ethnic group we studied, the socialization that was taking place at home was a significant and important predictor of ethnic identity. If parents realize that paying attention to ethnic identity is important to their children's well-being, they can take actions to promote a sense of ethnic belonging," she said.
Co-authors of the study are Ruchi Bhanot and Nana Shin of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Funding for the research was provided by the Fahs Beck Fund for Research and Experimentation of the New York Community Trust.
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