Citation

Walsh SD, Kolobov T, Raiz Y, Boniel-Nissim M, Tesler R, Harel-Fisch Y. J. Adolesc. 2018; 64: 34-47.

Affiliation

The International Research Program on Adolescent Well-Being and Health, School of Education, Faculty of Social Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.adolescence.2018.01.004

PMID

29408097

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.

Copyright © 2018 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Bullying; Discrimination; Fighting; Host and heritage identity; Immigrant adolescents; Psychosomatic symptoms; Substance use