Exploration of the Ethnic Identity among Russian-Speaking Immigrant Adolescents in Finland

Abstract

This study examined the process of ethnic identity exploration among Russian-speaking immigrant adolescents in Finland. The ethnic identity of immigrants was assessed by ethnic self-identification, referring to social categories in which individuals claim membership, as well as by degree of identity, indicating the personal meaning associated with these social categories. There were clear differences in the importance that these immigrants gave to the Russian and Finnish components of their ethnic identity at different stages of their residence in Finland but not in their ethnic self-identification, which remained stable over time. Through these results, the importance of distinguishing different aspects of ethnic identity (identification of and identification with) was further emphasized. The results empirically verify and specify the various stages of the process of ethnic identity exploration among young immigrants.