Dual identity development and adjustment in Muslim minority adolescents

Journal article

Dual identity (e.g., strong ethnic and national identity) is a psychological resource for minority groups, but how it develops during adolescence is less clear. In this 3-wave longitudinal study, a person-oriented approach was used to examine dual identity development in a sample of 2145 Muslim adolescents (MT1 = 15 years, 51% female) in four Western European countries. The results of a growth-mixture model pointed toward four distinct developmental Classes: (1) “Dual identity”, (2) “Separation to dual identity”, (3) “Assimilation to dual identity”, and (4) “Separation”. Multiple group comparisons further showed that adolescents in Class 1 were well adjusted, but well-being (e.g., internalizing problems, life satisfaction) and health were even higher among adolescents in Class 2. Adolescents in Class 3 had consistently lower levels of well-being, and adolescents in Class 4 had lower levels of socio-cultural adjustment (e.g., problem behaviour at school, delinquent behaviour, and lack of intergroup contact). The findings underscore that most Muslim minority adolescents in Western Europe develop a dual identity, and that the developmental process, not simply the outcome, matters for adjustment.

Authors: Spiegler, O; Wölfer, R; Hewstone, M

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Springer
• Journal: Journal of Youth and Adolescence
• Volume: 48
• Issue: 10
• Pages: 1924–1937
• Publication date: 2019-09-13
• Acceptance date: 2019-08-19
• DOI: 10.1007/s10964-019-01117-9
• EISSN: 1573-6601
• ISSN: 0047-2891
• Pmid: 31520235
• Language: English
• Keywords: identity acculturation; adjustment; growth mixture models; ethnic minority adolescents; dual identity; muslim immigrants