Ethnic identity, ego identity, and psychological well‐being among mixed‐ethnic Arab‐European adolescents in Israel

Abstract

This study explored the relationship between ethnic identity, ego identity, and psychological wellbeing among mixed‐ethnic adolescents with European mothers and Arab fathers in Israel. One hundred and twenty‐seven mixed‐ethnic adolescents (13 to 18 years) were instructed to respond to a modified version of Phinney's (1992) Multigroup ethnic identity measure (MEIM), to Bennion and Adams' (1986) ego identity measure (EOM‐EIS) and to Ryff's (1999) psychological well‐being scale. It was found that Arab and European ethnic identities, composed of ethnic behaviours, affirmation and belonging, and achievement of a sense of oneself as part of an ethnic group, were significantly positively correlated with participants' psychological well‐being. Findings revealed also that the ego identity statuses Achievement and Moratorium were associated with higher levels of psychological well‐being, while the statuses Foreclosure and Diffusion were associated with lower levels of well‐being. Arab and European ethnic identities and ego identity were found to be formed independently among the participants.