Journal of Adolescence
Volume 64, 2018, Pages 34-47

The role of identity and psychosomatic symptoms as mediating the relationship between discrimination and risk behaviors among first and second generation immigrant adolescents (Article)

Walsh S.D.* , Kolobov T. , Raiz Y. , Boniel-Nissim M. , Tesler R. , Harel-Fisch Y.
  • a Department of Criminology, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, 5290002, Israel
  • b The International Research Program on Adolescent Well-Being and Health, School of Education, Faculty of Social Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
  • c The International Research Program on Adolescent Well-Being and Health, School of Education, Faculty of Social Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
  • d School of Social Sciences and Humanities, Kinneret Academic College, Sea of Galilee, Israel
  • e The International Research Program on Adolescent Well-Being and Health, School of Education, Faculty of Social Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
  • f The International Research Program on Adolescent Well-Being and Health, School of Education, Faculty of Social Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel

Abstract

The study examines psychosomatic symptoms, and host and heritage identities as mediators of the relationship between discrimination and aggressive behavior and substance use. Israeli data from the 2013-14 Health Behaviors of School-aged Children study included a representative sample of 1503 first- and second-generation immigrant adolescents aged 11–17 years (45.2% male) from the Former Soviet Union and Ethiopia in Israel. Structural equation modeling, controlling for age, gender, family affluence and immigrant generation, showed different pathways for the two groups. For FSU-heritage adolescents, the relationship between discrimination and aggressive behavior and substance use was partially mediated by psychosomatic symptoms. Lower host and heritage identities also predicted psychosomatic symptoms. For Ethiopian-heritage adolescents, the relationship between discrimination and outcomes was fully mediated by psychosomatic symptoms and a weaker host identity. Results support an externalizing model, whereby discrimination leads to a weaker host identity and increased psychosomatic symptoms, associated with substance use and aggressive behavior. © 2018 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents

Author Keywords

discrimination Psychosomatic symptoms Fighting Substance use Bullying Host and heritage identity immigrant adolescents

Index Keywords

immigrant Alcohol Drinking drinking behavior Israel human epidemiology Cigarette Smoking Humans Cross-Sectional Studies Surveys and Questionnaires bullying school child migrant Aggression human tissue Adolescent cross-sectional study male Emigrants and Immigrants psychology female Psychophysiologic Disorders substance use inheritance questionnaire clinical article identity Article high risk behavior Risk-Taking psychosomatic disorder social discrimination Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85041387028&doi=10.1016%2fj.adolescence.2018.01.004&partnerID=40&md5=ea2728b15fd9cfc988e141fe9417520a
DOI: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2018.01.004
ISSN: 01401971
Cited by: 4
Original Language: English