Journal of Adolescence
Volume 76, 2019, Pages 99-108

Relationships between sociocultural factors (gender, immigrant and socioeconomic background), peer relatedness and positive affect in adolescents (Article)

Alivernini F. , Cavicchiolo E.* , Girelli L. , Lucidi F. , Biasi V. , Leone L. , Cozzolino M. , Manganelli S.
  • a National Institute for the Evaluation of the Education System (INVALSI), Via Ippolito Nievo, 35, Rome, 00153, Italy
  • b National Institute for the Evaluation of the Education System (INVALSI), Via Ippolito Nievo, 35, Rome, 00153, Italy
  • c Department of Human, Philosophical and Educational Sciences, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, Fisciano, SA 84084, Italy
  • d Department of Social and Developmental Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Via dei Marsi, 78, Rome, 00185, Italy
  • e Department of Education, Roma Tre University, Via del Castro Pretorio, 20, Rome, 00185, Italy
  • f Department of Social and Developmental Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Via dei Marsi, 78, Rome, 00185, Italy
  • g Department of Human, Philosophical and Educational Sciences, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, Fisciano, SA 84084, Italy
  • h National Institute for the Evaluation of the Education System (INVALSI), Via Ippolito Nievo, 35, Rome, 00153, Italy

Abstract

Introduction: During adolescence, experiencing positive emotions at school is important for motivation as well as for academic success and psychological well-being. In the present study, on the basis of Self-Determination Theory (SDT), we investigated the relationships between sociocultural factors (gender, immigrant and socioeconomic background), peer relatedness (acceptance and friendship) and positive affect at school. Methods: Data was based on a random sample of 36,712 tenth grade Italian adolescents. Their average age was 15.6 years (SD = 0.77), 50.6% were males, while 6.1% were first-generation immigrants and 3.8% were second-generation immigrants. Firstly, comparing latent means, we established peer relatedness and positive affect profiles of adolescents with different sociocultural backgrounds. Subsequently, we tested a structural equation model, based on SDT, according to which the effects of sociocultural factors on experiencing positive affect at school are mediated by peer relatedness dimensions. Results: Latent mean comparisons showed that immigrant adolescents, students with a lower-SES and girls had fewer friendships with their classmates, lower levels of positive affect at school and were less accepted by their peers. A well-fitting structural equation model corroborated the mediating role of acceptance and friendship, which accounted for 16% of variance in positive affect. Conclusions: Due to sociocultural factors, some groups of adolescents proved to be more at risk of being socially excluded and of experiencing less positive affect at school. Moreover, our findings support the claim of SDT that the satisfaction of basic psychological needs, such as relatedness, is more important than sociocultural factors in determining adolescents’ psychological well-being. © 2019 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents

Author Keywords

Socioeconomic status Immigrant background Gender Friendship Peer relatedness Positive affect

Index Keywords

immigrant girl human controlled study student social status Adolescent male Italian (citizen) female theoretical study Article major clinical study gender human experiment random sample psychological well-being structural equation modeling friendship satisfaction Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85071485548&doi=10.1016%2fj.adolescence.2019.08.011&partnerID=40&md5=7f02e2338dedc585d38a6d6f63897dc2
DOI: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2019.08.011
ISSN: 01401971
Original Language: English