The identification - separation process of Hispanic and non-Hispanic adolescents

Abstract

Previously the separation process has been examined to some extent with White clinical monolingual populations. The present study investigated identity-separation issues with a sample of 412 adolescents attending an urban school in a low socioeconomic area. The population consisted of 60% Hispanics, 38% Blacks, and 2% Whites. There were 194 males and 218 females; of these subjects there were 214 Hispanics and 198 non-Hispanics. The mean age for the sample was 13.9 (males, 14.1; females, 13.8; Hispanics, 13.9; and non-Hispanics, 13.9). Age and gender effects were also investigated for the total sample.;The first two hypotheses predicted that the Hispanics would have more difficulty in the resolution of identification and separation issues than the non-Hispanics. The third hypothesis proposed that there would be a relationship between separation and the self-concept. The fourth hypothesis contended that the distribution of scores on the separation scales would vary with age and older subjects would be farther along in the separation process.;There were three major findings: (1) no significant ethnic differences were found in terms of separation between Hispanics and non-Hispanics during adolescence, all other issues appear to be secondary to the process itself; (2) the study establishes that during the ages of 14-16 the adolescent goes through a phase marked by emotional turmoil, particularly in relationship to the mother, which results in a lower self-concept; and (3) the Hispanic adolescent, as expected by his/her culture, identifies strongly with the mother, and therefore this can be considered normative in the Hispanic group.