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Ethnic identity in our global society: Supporting youth physical and mental health and adjustment
Author(s) -
Coutinho Maria Teresa
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
the brown university child and adolescent behavior letter
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1556-7575
pISSN - 1058-1073
DOI - 10.1002/cbl.30420
Subject(s) - ethnic group , identity (music) , mental health , kinship , psychology , identity formation , normative , social identity theory , social psychology , developmental psychology , gender studies , social group , sociology , self concept , political science , psychiatry , anthropology , law , physics , acoustics
Ethnic identity development is a normative developmental process that youth experience in adolescence. Ethnicity refers to an individual's membership into a group with a common ancestry, including shared culture, place of origin, language, kinship, or values. Ethnic identity refers to one's identity or sense of self as a member of an ethnic group. Research evidence on ethnic identity in children and adolescents overwhelmingly points to its importance in supporting positive mental and physical health, academic, and social outcomes for youth. In this article, we describe the process of ethnic identity development and discuss strategies for caregivers, clinicians, and educators to support positive ethnic identity development in our youth.