National identity of high-school adolescents in an era of socio-economic change: Russia and Ukraine in the post-perestroika period.
This study focuses on the national identity of high-school adolescents in Russia and Ukraine in the post-perestroika period. Adolescents studying in public high schools in 12 medium-size and large cities completed questionnaires in 1999 (n = 468) and 2007 (n = 646). Russian adolescents consistently reported a more positive attitude towards their country and a stronger identification with the nation than did Ukrainian adolescents. The effect of socio-economic changes on the two components of national identity differed: the adolescents reported a more positive attitude towards their country in 2007 than in 1999, while their identification with the nations did not change significantly. Social support received from peers was associated with a more positive attitude towards the country and a stronger identification with the nation, while social support received from parents and teachers was not related to the national identity of adolescents. Adolescents' better psychological adjustment was associated with a more positive attitude towards the country but was not related to their identification with the nation. Adolescents who belonged to the ethnic majority reported a more positive attitude towards the country and a stronger identification with the nation as compared to adolescents who belonged to ethnic minorities.
The Bob Shapell School of Social Work, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel. etartakov@hotmail.com
Eugene
E
Tartakovsky
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012426:Russia; D012922:Social Change; D012924:Social Conditions; D012933:Social Identification; D012938:Social Perception; D012945:Social Values; D012951:Socialization; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014455:Ukraine