Ethnic identity development in New Zealand multi-ethnic young adolescents

Abstract

The current study was an investigation into the ethnic identity development process in early adolescents from diverse ethnic groups in New Zealand. Participants were 1633 mono- and dual-ethnic 9 to 16 year old students enrolled in forms 6, 8, and 10 in schools from the North Island of New Zealand who had each completed a questionnaire containing items relating to: ethnic identity, well-being, family history, and participation in social groups. Predictions were made regarding: mean differences in ethnic identity levels between ethnic and age groups; the relationship between ethnic identity and well-being; school composition and ethnic prioritisation in dual-ethnic adolescents; and the relationship between household income and ethnic identity levels. Contrary to predictions, no differences in ethnic identity levels by age were found for Maori, Pacific Island (PI), and New Zealand European (NZE) adolescents. Furthermore, dual-ethnic adolescents did not differ in ethnic identity levels for either component (Maori/NZE) of their ethnic identities by age. In mean group comparisons, NZE youths showed lower levels of ethnic identity than their ethnic minority peers, and dual-ethnic adolescents reported higher levels of ethnic identity for the Maori than for the NZE component of their ethnic identities. Dual-ethnics who attended schools proportionally high in Maori pupils also tended to prioritise their Maori over their NZE ethnic identities. Ethnic identity levels did not differ for any of the ethnic groups by household income. Higher well-being levels were associated with higher levels of ethnic identity in all ethnic groups. Furthermore, ethnic groups did not differ in well-being scores but differences in well-being levels were found between the age groups. Further, a significant age by ethnic group interaction was found: PI participants showed no differences and the other ethnic groups showed decreased levels of well-being with increased age. Finally, higher scores on both the NZE and Maori components of the ethnic identities of dual-ethnic adolescents were associated with higher levels of well-being. An implication of this result is that having a sense of pride in and a sense of belonging to both ethnic identities has a positive effect on well-being levels of dual-ethnic adolescents. These findings may have real world applications.