Abstract
Our research examined central issues in the psychological adjustment of adolescents who immigrate: self-concept, self-esteem, and life satisfaction. Questionnaires were administered to newcomers from the former Soviet Union (n = 119) as well as to their Israeli host classmates (n = 135) attending secondary schools. Our findings indicate that immigrant adolescents as compared to their counterparts express less satisfaction with their lives and report less congruence between their self-concept and the ways in which in their opinion they are perceived by others. The 2 groups do not differ in global self-esteem. Among the immigrants, the length of stay in Israel was related to the extent of their life satisfaction, and to the degree of similarity between the constituents of their self-concept and those of their classmates. Across the sample, gender and age were also related to self-esteem and self-concept. Our discussion highlights the psychological tasks faced by immigrant adolescents and provides possible implications for enhancing their well-being.
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Ullman, C., Tatar, M. Psychological Adjustment Among Israeli Adolescent Immigrants: A Report on Life Satisfaction, Self-Concept, and Self-Esteem. Journal of Youth and Adolescence 30, 449–463 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010445200081
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010445200081