Ethnic Bullying Victimization: the role of acculturation orientation for minority groups with different immigrant status

• In Event: 3-139 - Peer Ethnic Aggression and Victimization in Preadolescence and Adolescence

Integrative Statement

Literature has shown that the first generation of immigrant adolescents experience higher rate of bullying compared to the third generation and to native counterparts (Pottie et al. 2015). Victims of bullying are often targeted because they differ from the majority of other students (Davies, 2006; Klein, 2006; Phillips, 2007) and students belonging to ethnic minorities are at greater risk than their peers (Juvonen & Graham, 2014). Looking at the countries’ specificities, belonging to an ethnic minority group and being an immigrant are different issues, although they might co-occur. For example, children of immigrants born in Italy can request Italian citizenship only when they reach the age 18 years. Acculturation orientation has been used to examine the way immigrants and their children adapt and re-establish their lives within another cultural context (Berry, 1997). The literature focused on the relationship between this construct and victimization is scarce and has shown conflicting results: while Bauman (2008) found no association, Roberts et. al (2013) found that a weak ethnic identity and assimilation acculturation orientation leaves ethnic minority children more vulnerable. Results from previous studies (McKenney et al., 2006; Monks et al., 2008; Moran et al., 1993) do not support the view that immigrant status per se is a risk factor for victimization. The relation could be indirect: immigrant status might be associated with intrapersonal and interpersonal problems, potentially increasing the risk for victimization.
The aim of the present study is to understand how acculturation toward home and host countries could play a role in ethnic bullying victimization, taking into account immigrant status and belonging to a minority group and controlling for the effect of social withdrawal.
Within a school project (N=1366; grades7thto10th; Male=71.4%; mean age=13.98, SD=1.7), we collected data on about 70 adolescents born abroad (foreign parents, no Italian citizenship); 96 born in Italy (foreign parents, no Italian citizenship); 86 born in Italy with an Italian parent and an immigrant one (Italian citizenship). At the univariate level we found that the last category showed the lowest level of ethnic victimization (F(2,240)=4.041,p=.019) compared to the first group and the highest level of acculturation orientation toward Italy (F(2,240)=7.317,p=.001). Looking at the multiple group path analyses we found a significant association of acculturation orientation toward the home country with ethnic victimization only in the second (β=.178) and in the third (β=.238) group of participants. Only in the third group did we find a significant association between acculturation orientation toward Italy and ethnic victimization (β=-.422). In every group the effect of social withdrawal, that took into account indirect aspects, intrapersonal and interpersonal problems, was positive and significant.
In summary, acculturation orientation plays a role only for second generation immigrants: while for children born in Italy with immigrants’ parents only acculturation orientation toward home country is a risk factor, for children with Italian citizenship belonging to an ethnic minority group the assimilation process seems to be less associated with ethnic victimization. Overall, these findings underlie the role of the interaction between peer group and processes at the individual level.

Authors

• Benedetta Emanuela Palladino, University of Florence
  Presenting Author

• Maria Rosaria Nappa, Department of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Florence
  Non-Presenting Author

• Valentina Zambuto, Department of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Florence
  Non-Presenting Author

• Ersilia Menesini, University of Florence
  Non-Presenting Author