Arab American Adolescents' Identity Negotiations and Academic and Psychological Well-Being: Theoretical, Methodological, and Phenomenological Considerations

• In Event: Race and Ethnicity in the Study of Learning and Motivation Within Educational Contexts

Abstract

A multifaceted approach is necessary to understand the complex ways that culture and context — socio-historical and local—frame the opportunities and constraints on adolescents’ identity negotiations, and adjustment. A variety of theoretical perspectives are relevant for understanding issues of culture and intergroup relations in diverse schools and communities. We examined the experiences of ethnically Middle Eastern students in culturally diverse schools, and where relevant drew comparisons with their cultural/ethnic majority peers. The theoretical perspectives framing the project included social identity theory, intergroup contact hypothesis, and achievement goal theory. Multiple data collection methodologies were employed.

Specifically, we obtained information from Arab (ArD), Chaldean, and Caucasian adolescents and teachers and staff from 12 middle-schools in two economically diverse Southeastern Michigan districts at high risk for intercultural conflict. Multiple data collection methodologies included 63 focus-group interviews with 8th grade students , surveys of 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students (N = 3,661), web-based survey data from teachers (N = 316, White = 76.3%, Arab American = 14.2%) and principals, and implicit association test data regarding attitudes toward minority students from teachers.

The findings demonstrate that personal vulnerabilities and strengths combine in complex ways with proximal and distal environmental adversities and affordances to shape the nature and quality of adolescents’ adjustment, mental health and academic motivation and achievement and ultimately, their personal and social identities. Salient findings include:

• Regardless of how long they have lived in the U.S., or their citizenship status, ArD and Chaldean adolescents must contend with the identity the dominant society assigns them.
• Many immigrant cultural minorities gravitate to ethnic enclaves in their host country because it provides some measure of familiarity and comfort in an otherwise alien land.
• Analysis of focus group interviews highlighted the relative advantages and disadvantages for ArD adolescents of resettlement in ethnic enclaves upon immigrating to the U.S.
• Analysis of interviews revealed findings unique to ArD adolescents and demonstrated the heterogeneity among ArD adolescents based on their heritage national identities that mirror the religious and national divisions that exist in the Arab world.
• Analyses of the interviews revealed that ethic enclave schools were often better positioned to meet the needs of ArD students than were non-ethnic enclave schools.
• Societal dominant/subordinate status and school numerical majority/minority status
• Research attempting to address issues of intergroup relationships and prejudice focus almost exclusively on the adjustment and adaptation of minority and immigrant youth.
• Based on the analysis of the IAT data, teachers held more implicitly positive attitudes toward White over ArD and Chaldean students. Further, teachers who held more implicitly favorable attitudes toward White relative to ArD and Chaldean adolescents were less likely to promote mutual respect among students and were consequently less responsible for engaging in culturally adaptive practices and for resolving intergroup conflict among students.

We will also illustrate the importance for researchers to be mindful that culture is not merely a categorical variable in the study of learning and motivation; rather it is the foundation that guides adolescents’ motivations, identity negotiations, and behaviors.

Authors

• Revathy Kumar, University of Toledo

• Stuart A. Karabenick, University of Michigan

• Jeffery Warnke, University of Toledo