Exploring whether mindfulness can enhance ethnic identity among undergraduate and graduate students

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore whether attention, emotion, and cognitive regulation (CR) may be strategies to advance one’s ethnic identity. Design/methodology/approach The paper is presented in three parts. The first section discusses integrative inquiry (INIQ) (Bresciani Ludvik et al., 2016), a mindfulness methodology and mindful inquiry training program, as a potential pathway to help mitigate stress and enhance healthy development and well-being strategies that combat stressors related to ethnic and racial identity; and increase opportunities for positive ethnic identity development. INIQ was designed to influence areas of the brain associated with attention regulation, emotion regulation, and CR in order to decrease stress and anxiety, and heighten executive functions of undergraduate and graduate students. The second section discusses an exploratory study to see whether INIQ resulted in higher mean scores for participants on their ethnic identity, as assessed by the multigroup ethnic identity measure (Phinney, 1992). Findings The results indicated that there was a significant increase in pre-test and post-test scores for mindfulness (p=0.001) as well as the dependent measure for learning exploration (p=0.028) among 30 undergraduate, master’s- and doctoral-seeking students. There was also a non-significant increase for clear understanding (p=0.15) and overall ethnic identity achievement (p=0.387); and non-significant decrease for ethnic belonging (p=0.424). Originality/value These findings suggest that INIQ may increase students’ ethnic learning exploration, which is an important process in ethnic identity development (Phinney and Ong, 2007). This study also suggests that INIQ increases mindfulness in participants. The authors conclude with a discussion and recommendations to future INIQ and other diversity centered student support practitioners interested in influencing positive ethnic identity formation.

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Ethnic Identity Formation in College Students: Implications for Well-Being

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e700902007-001 ◽

2007 ◽

Author(s):

Diane M. Fischer ◽

Judy A. McCown

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Ethnic Identity ◽

Identity Formation ◽

Well Being ◽

Ethnic Identity Formation

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Javanese Cultural Socialization in Family and Ethnic Identity Formation of Javanese Adolescent Migrant at Lampung Province

KOMUNITAS INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INDONESIAN SOCIETY AND CULTURE ◽

10.15294/komunitas.v7i2.3624 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 251-258

Author(s):

Nina Yudha Aryanti

Keyword(s):

Ethnic Identity ◽

Identity Development ◽

Identity Formation ◽

Cultural Socialization ◽

Family Migration ◽

Family Identity ◽

Family Culture ◽

Ethnic Identity Formation ◽

Migration History ◽

The Family

Javanese adolescent migrants interactions in family across generations at multicultural society in Lampung stimulates a dynamic atmosphere for adolescent ethnic identity formation. Through socialization, the adolescent acquires Javanese cultural information as a foundation to develop their ethnic identity. This research aims are to know, find and analyze the cultural socialization aspects in family that support ethnic identity formation of Javanese adolescent migrants in Lampung. Throughout qualitative research, this research showed that socialization and ethnic identity formation in family is based on six themes : (1) family migration history; (2) adopted and referred family culture; (3) family identity development; (4) parenting style and amount of time spend for interaction in family and parents type of job ; (5) language used within the family; and (6) situations that support and obstruct of expression of ethnic identity.

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Transforming the lives of war-affected youth: how microcredit can shape their self-identity

Young Consumers Insight and Ideas for Responsible Marketers ◽

10.1108/yc-06-2014-00445 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 16 (2) ◽

pp. 189-207

Author(s):

Charles Jebarajakirthy ◽

Antonio C. Lobo

Keyword(s):

Identity Development ◽

Positive Affect ◽

Identity Formation ◽

Life Stage ◽

Well Being ◽

Measurement Model ◽

Survey Method ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Content Type ◽

Self Identity

Purpose – This study aims to direct war-affected youth’s self-identity towards microcredit. Youth is an important life stage for individuals’ self-identity formation. Features, labels and meanings associated with products can influence youth’s self-identity development. Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative-survey method was used for data collection. The sample comprised 1,160 youth microcredit users aged between 18 and 24 years selected from the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. Analysis was conducted mainly in three steps, testing measurement model, hypotheses testing and testing for moderation effects. Findings – The findings revealed that positive affect directed the youth’s self-identity towards microcredit, whereas perceived deterrents played a negative role. Knowledge of microcredit enhanced these attitudes. Also, entrepreneurial desire enhanced the association between positive affect and self-identity, and weakened the negative association between perceived deterrents and self-identity. Research limitations/implications – The data were cross-sectional and this study was conducted in one country. So, the model needs replication amongst youth in other war-affected countries and with longitudinal data. Additionally, this study is open for expansion by incorporating other constructs that can draw vulnerable youth’s self-identity around products. Practical implications – This research suggests how war-affected youth’s self-identity can be drawn around microcredit. Originality/value – This study proposes a unique conceptual model to draw vulnerable youth’s self-identity closer to products beneficial for their well-being, in this case, microcredit.

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