Non-immigrant Youth Research Articles

Saving behavior among immigrant and native youth

This study investigates the role of migration background in the saving behavior of youth, with a focus on immigrant generation, national origin, and the influence of cultural and socioeconomic factors. Drawing on a nationally representative dataset of over 28,000 secondary school students in the Netherlands, we employ binary logit models to analyze two dimensions of saving behavior: the likelihood of saving money and the propensity to use bank accounts for savings. Our findings reveal significant disparities in saving behavior among immigrant and non-immigrant youth. Migrant youth are less likely to save overall, and when they do, they exhibit a reduced inclination to use bank accounts for their savings. Furthermore, the study uncovers nuanced patterns within the immigrant youth population. First-generation immigrant youth display lower levels of saving and bank account usage compared to their second-generation counterparts, particularly to those with one foreign-born parent. Distinct national origin effects are observed, as Turkish and Moroccan youth exhibit reduced likelihoods of saving, particularly through bank accounts, compared to Surinamese and Dutch Antillean youth. The results also indicate that the disparities in saving behavior across migration background, immigrant generation, and national origin are partly explained by socioeconomic and cultural forces. Socio-economic status and parental education emerge as key determinants, with higher parental socio-economic resources and education levels positively associated with youth saving behavior and bank account usage. Additionally, religious affiliation, particularly among Muslim youth, contributes to variations in saving behavior due to the prohibition of interest-bearing transactions.

Aiming high: Learning investments in German upper secondary education. Differences between immigrant and non-immigrant youth

This article addresses important aspects of the largely unexplored interplay between high educational aspirations and low academic achievement in migratory contexts. Using data from the German National Educational Panel Study (NEPS), I examine the determinants of learning investments of students who changed from vocational to academic tracking at the transition to upper secondary education. I also explore additional social challenges to upward track mobility that might affect immigrant students in a particular way. As educational disparities are often interpreted as a cumulative consequence of class- and migration-specific educational choices, I develop a learning investment model that explains differences in learning investments between immigrant and non-immigrant youth. I introduce the essential mechanisms of psychological motivation theory into a subjective expected utility (SEU) model, which allows for a specific examination of the relationship between educational aspirations, motivation, and learning investments. Results show that newcomers to academic tracking are more likely to invest in learning. Yet, learning investments in upward mobility processes may be influenced by the different learning environments of stratified education and by family dynamics. Here, I find differences between immigrant and non-immigrant youth. Thus, introducing motivational factors into an SEU model helps to understand when youth invest in learning.

How discrimination experiences relate to racial/ethnic identity and mental health across first- and second-generation Vietnamese American adolescents.

Racial/ethnic discrimination has been linked to behavioral and emotional problems in youth from marginalized groups. However, the psychological experience associated with discrimination may differ between immigrant and nonimmigrant youth. Race-based discrimination may impact an adolescent's view of their own group (private regard) and/or their sense of how others view their group (public regard). Owing to differences in racialization, immigrant adolescents may be affected differently by experiences of discrimination than their U.S.-born peers. The present study examined whether nativity moderated the paths from racial/ethnic discrimination to private and public regard to mental health problems among Vietnamese American youth. Surveys were completed by 718 Vietnamese American 10th and 11th graders (Mage = 15.54 years, 61.4% female, 38.6% male). In this sample, 21.2% were first-generation (i.e., born outside of the United States) and 78.8% were second-generation (i.e., born in the United States with at least one parent born outside of the United States). Multigroup path analysis tested the direct and indirect effects of racial/ethnic discrimination on behavioral and emotional problems via private and public regard and whether associations differed for first- versus second-generation youth. Racial/ethnic discrimination was associated with lower public regard, but not private regard, for both first- and second-generation Vietnamese American youth. Public regard was negatively associated with behavioral and emotional problems only among second-generation youth. No indirect effects were significant. Findings suggest differences in racialized experiences, as well as opportunities to support second-generation Vietnamese American and other marginalized youth from immigrant families from the mental health impacts of discrimination. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Upward track mobility into academic upper secondary education: Effects of challenging parental expectations, immigrant origin, and older siblings on students' educational choices

This study examines the social-cultural challenges of upward track mobility from vocational to academic tracking at the transition to upper secondary education in Germany. Within the highly stratified German education system, these challenges include habitual alienation from the family and milieu of origin. Using a Bourdieusian framework and data from the National Educational Panel Study (NEPS), we examine the effect of these challenges on the choices for academic upper secondary education by addressing ambivalent parental expectations regarding social upward mobility and habitual loyalty to the family. The study explores how an immigrant origin and older siblings shape perceptions of these expectations and associated challenges, and thus influence the educational choices at the transition to upper secondary education.Linear probability models (N 2866) show that ambivalent parental expectations hinder the choice for academic upper secondary education. This effect was stronger for nonimmigrant students. Older siblings reduce this negative influence for both immigrant and non-immigrant students. We extend previous literature on educational choices of immigrant and non-immigrant youth by highlighting that ambivalent parental expectations may be a barrier to upward track mobility, moderated by older siblings.

Assessing the effects of immigrant status on placement in juvenile detention

ABSTRACT The United States hosts more immigrants than any country in the world and has been referred to as a nation of immigrants. While there has been a persistent focus on immigration in America, the focal point has typically been on the criminality of those who have migrated to the US. Overtime, negative rhetoric in the media and politics has stereotyped immigrants as criminals. Despite these negative perceptions, there is a dearth of literature on how immigrants are processed in the criminal justice system. Most research thus far assessing this relationship is limited to adult defendants, while paying little to no attention to how immigration status impacts juvenile justice outcomes. To add to the limited body of knowledge on immigrant status and court processing, this study uses a limited sample of adjudicated youth from the Pathways to Desistance study (N = 414) to explore how immigration status impacts dispositional outcomes in juvenile court. In comparison to non-immigrant youth, we find that first-generation immigrant status is positively associated with receiving an incarcerative sanction (i.e., detention). However, no significant effects were observed for second-generation immigrants. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.

Personality development in immigrant and non-immigrant adolescents: Disruption or maturation?

This study examined gender and immigrant status differences in stability and change in the Big Five traits in a sample of early adolescents in Greece from economically disadvantaged schools with a high immigrant composition (65% first- or second-generation immigrants). Youth in the sample ( N = 1252, 46% female, ages 12–13 at time 1) self-reported Big Five traits annually for 3 years. Mean-level and rank-order stability were examined separately by gender and immigration history. Growth modeling of mean-level scores showed declines in all five personality traits for both genders between ages 12 and 14, followed by increases in conscientiousness for girls and boys, and increases in agreeableness and openness to experience for boys only. In sensitivity analyses, boys showed disruption at all levels of perceived economic stress, but only girls with high levels of perceived economic stress showed disruption. Trajectories were similar for immigrant and non-immigrant youth, suggesting that immigrant youth did not show greater mean-level disruption. However, immigrant youth reported lower means on all traits except emotional stability. Rank-order stability was moderately strong over 3 years and comparable across both genders and immigration histories. Results in this high-risk sample supported the disruption hypothesis and suggest that immigration experiences are associated with personality development.

Perceptions and Experiences of Pakistani-Descent Female Adolescents Living in Canada, on Developing Sexuality and Self-Identity

Immigrant adolescents make up a substantial proportion of newcomers to Canada. Most newcomer youth from South Asia aged 15 to 24 are from racialized “visible minority” backgrounds. The sexual health needs of female immigrant adolescents in Canada have been largely unmet and have increased in magnitude over the last few years. For immigrant female adolescents, the silence around issues of sexuality needs can affect their physical, emotional, sexual health, and overall well-being as well as their ability to reach their full potential. Evidence suggests that immigrant adolescents lack sexual and reproductive health knowledge and use fewer sexual health-related services and sex education resources than non-immigrant youth. In Pakistani immigrant adolescents, this difference appears to be associated with socio-cultural and religious practices. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively explore the experience of developing sexuality and its relationship to well-being in middle- to late-female adolescents of Pakistani-descent, living in a large urban area in Canada. The study aimed to establish space for dialogue and to bridge the perceived cultural divide on issues of sexuality using the postmodern feminist lens, which often arises between individuals from different cultural backgrounds. Using the interpretive descriptive methodology, a purposive sample of 21 female adolescents who were of first- or second-generation Pakistan-descent was obtained. Participants included female adolescents aged from 14 to 19 years. Data were collected using a semi-structured interview guide and a timeline. A total of 21 first interviews and seven follow up interviews were conducted. The narratives and timelines presented in this study tell the story of female Pakistani adolescents, their narratives, and the timelines reflect the complexities of the sexuality of female adolescents and how they perceive and attribute meanings to their experiences. The study found that living in a bicultural world can cause significant stress and anxiety among female adolescents, especially when making personal life decisions related to sexuality. Moreover, silence around all aspects of female sexuality negatively affects the capacity for desire and pleasure. In addition, the intersection of gender and patriarchy have created layers of power and oppression in adolescent lives that tightly control their sexuality. The participants’ stories reveal the complex interaction of factors that influence the behavior of female adolescents related to sexuality and sexual health. These findings establish the need for cultural awareness while viewing each girl’s experience in relation to the intersectionality of social spheres such as race, ethnicity, culture, and religion. Finally, this study provides implications to policymakers to revise the existing policies and create youth-friendly policies for immigrant youth to draw attention to the hidden voices of female adolescents and increase the awareness of ways to address issues arising in evolving sexuality.

Neighbourhood context and diagnosed mental health conditions among immigrant and non-immigrant youth: a population-based cohort study in British Columbia, Canada.

Evidence from systematic reviews suggests that adult immigrants living in areas of higher immigrant density (areas with ahigher proportion of foreign-born residents) tend to experience fewer mental health problems-likely through less discrimination, greater access to culturally/linguistically appropriate services, and greater social support. Less is known about how such contexts are associated with mental health during childhood-a key period in the onset and development of many mental health challenges. This study examined associations between neighbourhood immigrant density and youth mental health conditions in British Columbia (BC; Canada). Census-derived neighbourhood characteristics were linked to medical records for youth present in ten of BC's largest school districts from age 5 through 19 over the study period (1995-2016; n = 138,090). Occurrence of physician assessed diagnoses of mood and/or anxiety disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and conduct disorder was inferred through International Classification ofDiseases (ICD) diagnosticcodes in universal public health insurance records. Multi-level logistic regression was used to model associations between neighbourhood characteristics and odds of diagnoses for each condition; models were stratified by generation status (first-generation: foreign-born; second-generation: Canadian-born to a foreign-born parent; non-immigrant). Higher neighbourhood immigrant density was associated with lower odds of disorders among first-generation immigrant youth (e.g., adjusted odds of mood-anxiety disorders for those in neighbourhoods with the highest immigrant density were 0.67 times lower (95% CI: 0.49, 0.92) than those in neighbourhoods with the lowest immigrant density). Such protective associations generally extended to second-generation and non-immigrant youth, but were-for some disorders-stronger for first-generation than second-generation or non-immigrant youth. Findings suggest there may be protective mechanisms associated with higher neighbourhood immigrant density for mental health conditions in immigrant and non-immigrant youth. It is important that future work examines potential pathways by which contextual factors impact immigrant and non-immigrant youth mental health.

Resilience in the Face of Adversity: Family Processes and the Immigrant Paradox in Youth Externalizing Problems.

BackgroundDespite increased exposure to social adversity, immigrant youth have fewer externalizing problems compared to non-immigrants. Explanations for this apparent advantage remain unclear. This study examined the extent to which socio-economic characteristics and family processes account for group differences in externalizing problems between immigrant and non-immigrant youth.MethodsData come from a population-based cross-sectional study of 1,449 youth and their primary caregiver in Hamilton, Ontario. Computer-assisted structured interviews were administered separately to primary caregivers and youth, which included assessments of externalizing problems and measures of family obligation, parental monitoring, value of education and socio-economic characteristics.ResultsFirst- and second-generation immigrant youth had lower levels of externalizing problems compared to non-immigrants. The magnitude of group differences was larger for parent (d = 0.37–0.55) versus youth reports of externalizing behaviours (d = 0.15–0.29). Family socio-economic and process characteristics partially accounted for group differences, which remained significant in the parent-reported model but rendered non-significant in the youth-reported model.ConclusionResults suggesting the potential protective effects of positive family processes for immigrant youth could be extended to non-immigrant youth to inform the development of parenting and family skills interventions. Promoting familial sources of resilience is a potential avenue for reversing downward trends in mental health seen across successive generations of immigrant youth, while also reducing risk of behavioural difficulties among non-immigrant youth.

Integrating Canadian Youth: The State of Intergroup Contact, Belonging, and Support for Immigration

This paper reports the results of a survey examining 168 immigrant and non-immigrant youth’s perspectives of intergroup relations, support for immigration, and feelings of belonging in Canada. Using Allport’s (1954) contact theory and the multiculturalism hypothesis (Berry et al., 2021) as a framework, the data is analyzed in the context of relative levels of intergroup contact, friendship, immigration-related knowledgeability, and perceived diversity. This study finds that, overall, the Canadian youth surveyed were more supportive of immigration than older generations and reported high levels of intergroup positivity and frequent intergroup contact. Moreover, intergroup contact and intergroup friendships were positively associated with feelings of belonging, whereas support for immigration was associated with immigration-related knowledgeability and perceptions of diversity.

Comparing Healthcare Utilization and Diagnoses in Immigrant Versus Nonimmigrant Youth.

To inform efforts to provide healthcare to uninsurable, immigrant youth, we describe The Access Partnership (TAP) hospital-based charity care program and compare healthcare utilization and diagnoses among TAP and Medicaid patients. We use propensity scores to match each TAP patient to three Medicaid patients receiving care at a pediatric clinic from October 2010 to June 2015 on demographic characteristics. We use descriptive statistics to compare healthcare visits and diagnoses. TAP (n = 78) and Medicaid patients (n = 234) had similar healthcare utilization, though Medicaid patients had more outpatient visits (10.8 vs. 7.7, p = .002), and TAP patients were more likely to have ever received subspecialty care (38.5% vs. 22.2%, p = .005). Diagnoses were similar between groups, with some exceptions: TAP patients more likely to present with genital and reproductive disease (33.3% vs. 19.7%, p = .013); Medicaid patients more likely to present with endocrine, metabolic, and nutritional disease (52.1% vs. 28.2%, p < .001), psychiatric, behavioral disease, and substance abuse (41.0, 26.9%, p = .026). TAP patients had similar healthcare utilization and diagnoses to matched sample of Medicaid patients. Findings indicate policy proposals that extend public health insurance to all children would likely benefit immigrant children and not incur higher costs than those of low-income U.S. citizen children.

Family cohesion and school belongingness: Protective factors for immigrant youth against bias-based bullying.

This study explores the protective effects of family cohesion and school belongingness against the negative consequences of bullying. 481 immigrant and nonimmigrant US middle-school students (Mage = 13.28(0.87), 49% female; 36% ethnic minority) self-reported their experiences being bullied, school belongingness, family cohesion, and socioemotional well-being measured as externalizing, internalizing, and prosocial behaviors. First- or second-generation immigrant youth (n = 72) came from 30 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, and the Caribbean. Family cohesion served as a protective factor for both immigrant and nonimmigrant youth, but for different outcomes of bullying experiences. For immigrant youth who experienced more bullying, having a more cohesive family was associated with decreased levels of internalizing problems. Additionally, stronger school belongingness and especially family cohesion related to more prosocial behaviors among more frequently bullied immigrant youth. Nonimmigrant youth who experienced bullying, however, reported fewer externalizing problems when they had stronger family cohesion and especially school belongingness. The findings highlight the importance of considering the interacting systems in which immigrant youth are embedded and suggest that family cohesion as a protective factor may work differently for immigrant than for nonimmigrant youth experiencing bias-based bullying.

Does a lower self-concept contribute to mental health disparities of diverse immigrant youth from middle childhood to late adolescence?

BackgroundThree out of ten children in Germany have immigrant backgrounds and this proportion is expected to further increase in subsequent years. While immigrant youth have been found more vulnerable to developing symptoms of depression and anxiety, the underlying mechanisms of how such disparities unfold during youth development are still understudied. Some previous research has found that immigrant youth are at risk of experiencing a less positive self-concept compared to non-immigrant youth. We investigated whether the self-concept mediates mental health disparities and explored variability in such associations from middle childhood to late adolescence.MethodsOverall 1839 children and adolescents aged 6–21 years (M = 14.05 years, SD = 3.03, 49.8% female, n = 782 with immigrant status) participated in a cross-sectional self-report survey in classroom settings using scales from the Beck Youth Inventories II (Beck et al. in Beck Youth Inventories - Second Edition, Psychological Corporation, San Antonio, 2005) to assess self-concept and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Links between immigrant status, age, self-concept and symptom levels of depression as well as anxiety were examined using hierarchical regression and moderated mediation models.ResultsImmigrant youth reported higher symptom levels of depression and anxiety than their non-immigrant peers but did not differ in their self-concepts. Hypothesized moderated mediation models were not fully supported and self-concept neither mediated the link between immigrant status and depression nor immigrant status and anxiety. However, self-concept was a significant predictor for symptom levels of depression as well as anxiety, with stronger associations in adolescents.ConclusionsOur study substantiates previous findings that immigrant youth in Germany have overall increased symptom levels of depression and anxiety compared to non-immigrant youth. Our study however does not support that immigrant youth have a more negative self-concept and that the self-concept mediates such internalizing mental health disparities. Findings match previous evidence that developing a positive attitude towards the self is linked to better mental health. Beyond that, our findings suggest that mental health interventions addressing the self-concept could be especially relevant when targeting adolescents. Further research is needed to deepen the understanding of the mediating processes between migration status and mental health variables.

Autonomy-Supportive Parenting in Immigrant and Non-Immigrant Youth During Early Adolescence

There is a burgeoning literature on autonomy-supportive parenting and positive adaptation in youth across diverse cultures, but little is known about autonomy support in immigrant families. Bolstering autonomy in immigrant youth may be particularly important for their success on both universal and immigrant-specific developmental tasks and yet studies examining autonomy support in immigrant adolescents are rare. In the current study, the first goal was to establish measurement equivalence for a widely-used autonomy support measure in immigrant and non-immigrant youth. Subsequently, we examined how changes in autonomy support during early adolescence varied by immigrant status. The sample included 1252 immigrant and non-immigrant youth (Mage = 12.70 at Wave 1) living in Greece who completed a self-report measure of maternal autonomy support in their schools once per year for three years. Results indicated that the latent construct, factor loadings, and item thresholds of the autonomy support measure were invariant across immigrant and non-immigrant adolescents, as well as over time. Neither group displayed significant growth in autonomy support and, counter to expectation, trajectories of autonomy support did not differ by immigrant status. These findings demonstrate that autonomy support is a meaningful construct in Greek native and immigrant families and also indicate that these behaviors, as perceived by youth, were stable during early to middle adolescence for immigrant and non-immigrant youth living in Greece.

Comparison between non-immigrant and 2nd generation immigrant youth: Self-Reported Health Status, BMI, and Internal and External Resources

Increasingly evidence suggests that the self-reported health status (SRH) of 2nd generation immigrant youth (native-born youth with at least one parent who was born abroad) may be lower than non-immigrant youth. This cross-sectional study compared the SRH of 2nd generation immigrant to non-immigrant youth ( n = 291), accounting for confounders including a clinical measure (i.e., body mass index), internal resources (i.e., diet, exercise, smoking), and external resources (i.e., socioeconomic status, family social support). Regressions showed SRH was associated with socioeconomic status ( p &lt; .05), family social support ( p &lt; .05) and exercise ( p &lt; .05) but not immigrant status. Yet, bivariate analyses, showed that among youth, 2nd generation immigrants had poorer diets ( p &lt; .01), were smokers ( p &lt; .0001), had lower socioeconomic status ( p &lt; .05) and less family social support (p &lt; .05). Thus, although SRH did not differ by immigration status among youth, the differences in internal and external resources by immigrant status may lead to health differences in the future.

The impact of anti-discrimination policies on immigrant youths’ sense of national belonging: an institutionalist account

ABSTRACT How to help newcomers feel a greater sense of belonging in society has been the subject of ongoing debate in both policy and scholarly circles. This study posits that immigrant groups’ relatively low sense of belonging in many countries is partly a manifestation of unequal opportunity structure. Thus, the study hypothesizes that public anti-discrimination policies may serve as an effective intervention. Hierarchical linear modelling analyses have been conducted using data for 71,030 adolescents at 3,147 schools in 25 countries. The results show that while there exists a disparity in national belonging as perceived by immigrant and non-immigrant youth, societies with stronger anti-discrimination measures tend to reveal a smaller disparity. Further, hortatory and regulatory policies for anti-discrimination demonstrate a mutually reinforcing interplay, while regulatory policies appear to have a greater direct impact.

Association of Immigrant and Refugee Status With Risk Factors for Exposure to Violent Assault Among Youths and Young Adults in Canada

Immigrant populations continue to grow across Western countries. Such populations may face vulnerabilities that contribute to the risk of experiencing violent injury. Youths are at disproportionate risk compared with other age groups, and such violence may be preventable with appropriately targeted injury prevention strategies. To examine the association of immigrant or refugee status and immigration-related factors with the experience of assault. This population-based cohort study used linked health and administrative databases in Ontario, Canada, where health services are funded through a universal, single-payer health insurance plan. All youths and young adults aged 10 to 24 years (hereafter referred to as youths) residing in Ontario from January 1, 2008, to December 31, 2016, were eligible to participate. Data were analyzed from April 13, 2017, to January 6, 2020. The main exposure was immigrant status. Secondary exposures were immigration-related factors, including visa class, time since immigration, and region and country of origin. The main outcome consisted of violent injuries requiring acute care (emergency department visit or hospitalization) or causing death. Poisson regression models were used to estimate rate ratios for injuries. A total of 22 969 443 person-years were included in the analysis (51.3% male and 48.7% female participants). Compared with nonimmigrants, a greater proportion of immigrants lived in the lowest neighborhood income quintile (30.5% vs 18.2%) and urban areas (98.9% vs 87.7%). Among immigrants, 17.9% were refugees. Rates of violent injuries experienced were 549.0 (95% CI, 545.7-552.2) per 100 000 person-years in nonimmigrant youth, 225.0 (95% CI, 219.4-230.7) per 100 000 person-years in nonrefugee immigrant youth, and 525.4 (95% CI, 507.2-544.1) per 100 000 person-years in refugee immigrant youth. The rates of violent injury among nonrefugee and refugee immigrants were lower than among nonimmigrants (nonrefugee adjusted rate ratio [aRR], 0.41 [95% CI, 0.38-0.43]; refugee aRR, 0.82 [95% CI, 0.76-0.89]). Older age (oldest vs youngest aRR, 6.90 [95% CI, 6.53-7.29]), male sex (aRR, 2.60 [95% CI, 2.52-2.68]), and low neighborhood income (aRR, 2.42 [95% CI, 2.32-2.53]) were associated with violent injury risk. Rates of experiencing assault were lowest among South Asian (aRR, 0.33 [95% CI, 0.30-0.37]) and East Asian (aRR, 0.23 [95% CI, 0.19-0.26]) immigrants. Only Somali immigrants experienced higher assault rates (712.0 [95% CI, 639.3-805.3] per 100 000 person-years) compared with nonimmigrants. Most injuries (79.9%) were from being struck, followed by being cut (5.9%). The low rates of assault experienced by immigrants, including refugees, compared with nonimmigrants suggests that Canadian immigrant settlement supports and cultural factors may be protective against the risk of experiencing assault.

Are immigrant youth involved in voluntary organizations more likely than their non-immigrant peers to be engaged in politics? Survey evidence from Norway

The aim of this paper is to examine the link between associational involvement and political participation among youth in Norway and how this link varies between boys and girls of an immigrant or non-immigrant background. We examine the relationship between activities in instrumental and expressive types of voluntary organizations. The paper draws on the survey Ung i Oslo 2015 (Young in Oslo 2015), which was carried out among students in almost all high schools (30 schools) in Oslo, Norway. The results indicate that those who are actively involved in socially oriented organizations are most likely to participate in politics. However, the relationship between organizational activity and political participation is often stronger among youth of immigrant background and is visible even among those who are active in less socially oriented organizations. Most notably, the results suggest that being active in a sports organization is positively related to political participation among immigrant youth. We found no such effect among non-immigrant youth. In accordance with Robert Putnam’s theoretical framework on social capital, the paper discusses why youth of immigrant background seem to benefit more, politically speaking, from associational involvement.

National Identity Development and Friendship Network Dynamics among Immigrant and Non-Immigrant Youth.

The development of peer relationships and of one's identity are key developmental proficiencies during adolescence. Understanding how immigrant and non-immigrant adolescents are developing a sense of their national identity and the role that this plays in how they select their friends and are influenced by their friends is essential for developing a more comprehensive understanding of adolescent development in context. The current study used longitudinal social network analysis to examine the interplay of national identity development and friendship network dynamics among immigrant and non-immigrant adolescents in Greece (N = 1252; 46% female). All youth with higher national identity resolution (i.e., youth's sense of clarity regarding their identity as a member of Greek society) in Grade 8 were more often nominated as a friend in Grade 9. During the transition from 8th to 9th grade, all youth became more similar to their nominated friends in terms of their Greek national identity exploration (i.e., degree to which they had engaged in activities to learn more about Greek society). During the transition from 7th to 8th grade, there was significant variability in peer selection on national identity exploration and resolution between immigrant and non-immigrant youth. Specifically, immigrant youth demonstrated selection effects consistent with notions of homophily, such that they were more likely to nominate peers in 8th grade whose levels of national identity exploration and resolution were similar to their own when in 7th grade. In contrast, non-immigrant youth preferred peers in 8th grade with low levels of national identity exploration (regardless of their own levels of exploration in 7th grade) and peers whose levels of national identity resolution in 8th grade were different from their own in 7th grade (e.g., non-immigrant youth who reported high national identity resolution in 7th grade were more likely to nominate peers who had low national identity resolution in 8th grade). There were no differences by immigrant status in peer influence, suggesting that the significant peer influence effects that emerged during the transition from 8th to 9th grade in which youth became more similar to their friends in national identity exploration may reflect a universal process. These results chart new directions in understanding contemporary youth development in context by showing that adolescents develop their national identity and friendships in tandem and that certain aspects of this process may vary by immigrant status.

Immigration status and bullying victimization: Associations across national and school contexts

This study examined whether the association between immigration and bullying victimization differed across immigrant generation, age and national and school context. Data were used from the 2013–14 Health Behavior in School-Aged Children study among nationally-representative samples of young people in 26 countries/regions. Multilevel logistic regression analyses showed that first- and second-generation immigrants were more likely to report bullying victimization than non-immigrants. However, differences according to immigration status were more pronounced for first- than second-generation immigrants. For both immigrants and non-immigrants, bullying victimization was less prevalent at older ages. Strikingly, all immigration effects were similar across countries, and only differences in bullying victimization between second-generation immigrant and non-immigrant youth varied across schools. This variation was not related to school-level classmate or teacher support. Findings point to the vulnerability of immigrant youth for bullying victimization throughout Europe.