Cultural Socialization by Same-Ethnic and Different-Ethnic Minority Peers - A Resource for Minority Adolescents’ Cultural Identity, School Values, and Life-Satisfaction

This cross-sectional study investigated how other minority peers can be a resource for minority adolescents’ cultural identity (i.e. ethnic and national identity) and psychological and sociocultural adjustment (i.e., life-satisfaction and subjective school values), by sharing cultural values, beliefs, and behaviors of the ethnic and national culture (peer ethnic and national socialization). We hypothesized that ethnic socialization by a same-ethnic peer (and national socialization by a different-ethnic minority peer, respectively) would be positively related to adjustment, mediated by ethnic identity (and national identity, respectively). We further systematically compared ethnic and dual identifiers and their shared identities with both peers.

Analyses were based on surveys of 481 ethnic minority adolescents (M_age = 14.75 years, 51.6% female) in Germany. Multigroup path analysis revealed that ethnic identifiers showed more significant associations between peer cultural socialization, cultural identity, and adjustment than dual identifiers. Ethnic and national socialization by a same-ethnic peer was most beneficial for cultural identity and adjustment of all participants. With both peers, ethnic socialization was directly, positively associated with adjustment, whereas national socialization was positively linked to national identity, but only indirectly to educational outcomes via national identity.

In conclusion, our study provides evidence for peer cultural socialization as supportive factor for minority youths’ psychological and sociocultural adjustment, especially for the educationally disadvantaged group of ethnic identifiers. Practical implications include that schools may regard a culturally diverse student body as resource for reducing intergroup boundaries and educational disparities.