Finding identity without discrimination: the plight of Arab American adolescents

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between self-reported discrimination and ethnic identity among 61 Arab American adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18 years. Participants completed the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM) to obtain an assessment of their ethnic identities. Additionally, the lead author developed a questionnaire asking participants to self-report if either they or another Arab student they knew had been ‘treated badly or differently because of their ethnicity’. Consistent with the rejection-identification model, respondents who had reported experiencing discrimination, knowing of others who had experienced discrimination, or both had higher ethnic identity scores than those who had not, although the only significant difference was found between the group that experienced both types of discrimination and the non-discrimination group. Implications of these results are discussed as well as directions for future research.

Keywords:

• ethnic identity
• Arab Americans
• discrimination
• adolescents
• rejection-identification model
• ethnic minority

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the National Network for Arab American Communities, Arab American Family Services in Bridgeview, Illinois, Alif Institute in Atlanta, Georgia, Center for Arabic Culture in Somerville, Massachusetts, Noor Islamic Cultural Center and Alif Ba Learning Center in Columbus, Ohio, and the Islamic Center of Cleveland in Cleveland, Ohio, for their help with this study. The American-Arab Antidiscrimination Committee and the Arab American Institute provided various means of reaching the Arab American community. This study would not have been possible without the help of all of the aforementioned organisations.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Rhonda Tabbah

RHONDA TABBAH is currently a school psychology practitioner in a public school district. She conducted this research as a doctoral student at the Ohio State University.

Joe E. Wheaton

JOE E. WHEATON is an associate professor in the Department of Educational Studies at The Ohio State University.

Antoinette Halsell Miranda

ANTOINETTE HALSELL MIRANDA is an associate professor in the Department of Educational Studies at The Ohio State University.