Ethnic and national identity among second-generation immigrant adolescents in France: the role of social context and family

Abstract

This study, based on 365 second-generation adolescents from five ethnic groups, examined the cultural identity according to two orientations (ethnic and national) including two components (affirmation and exploration). Parents (356 mothers, 292 fathers) are also interviewed. Following ecological models of development and acculturation, multiple layers of context and their influence were analyzed: socialization with peers (ethnic composition of school and friends), the perception of discrimination and several aspects of parent-adolescent relationship including the perception of adolescent of their relationship with parents and both mothers' and fathers' reports on their own ethnic and national enculturation practices and on their parental styles. Ethnic and national affirmations were found to be two independent orientations. Regression analysis showed that the highest explanation of variance came from the adolescent's perception of their relationship with their parents, followed by parental enculturation, and perceived discrimination. The school and peer context explained a lesser amount of variance. Parents' contribution to cultural identity is not limited to the ethnic orientation; parents also contribute in a positive way to national identity. The parents' contribution was different in the case of mothers and fathers. This reflects the dynamic of acculturation within immigrant families.