Daily variation in ethnic identity, ethnic behaviors, and psychological well-being among American adolescents of Chinese descent

Child Dev. 2002 Sep-Oct;73(5):1557-72. doi: 10.1111/1467-8624.00490.

Abstract

This study examined the links among Chinese American adolescents' (N = 96) global ethnic identity and their ethnic behaviors, ethnic identity salience, and psychological well-being based on daily diaries collected over a 2-week period. The daily association between engagement in ethnic behaviors and ethnic salience was positive regardless of overall ethnic identity. The daily-level association between ethnic identity salience and well-being, however, was dependent on adolescents' global ethnic identity. Among adolescents who were moderate or high in global ethnic identity, ethnic identity salience was consistently associated with positive well-being at the daily level. In contrast, the daily association between ethnic identity salience and well-being was less strong for youths who were low in ethnic identity. Additionally, a higher level of salience and a weaker association between salience and negative symptoms was found for girls than for boys, and older youths reported a weaker association between salience and positive symptoms than did younger youths.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Child
  • Child Behavior / psychology*
  • China / ethnology
  • Culture*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Psychology, Child
  • Self Concept
  • Social Identification*
  • Time Factors
  • United States