Initial Investigation of Jewish Early Adolescents’ Ethnic Identity, Stress, and Coping

Abstract

Ethnic identity was examined as a source of stress and as a coping resource among Jewish sixth through eighth graders (N = 75). Over 50% of the students reported having experienced various ethnic-related stressors in the past year (e.g., being restricted from activities due to the Sabbath, experiencing anti-Semitic comments). Jewish early adolescents also endorsed ethnic and religious coping strategies from three coping scale factors: Seeking God’s Direction/Support (e.g., “I ask God to forgive me for the things I did wrong”); Seeking Cultural/Social Support (e.g., “I look forward to the Sabbath”); and Spiritual Struggle (e.g., “I start to wonder whether God can really do everything”). Components of ethnic identity were related positively both to ethnic-related stressors and coping strategies, indicating that although high levels of ethnic identity might heighten Jewish adolescents’ sensitivity to ethnic-related stressors, ethnic identity might serve also as a resource for coping with those stressors.