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Impacts of Immigration on Ethnic Identity & Leisure Behavior of Adolescent Immigrants to the United States Dr. Monika Stodolska along with her graduate students and research asistants - Jouyeon Yi and Jose Peralta conduced an interpretative study that focused on the changes in leisure behavior, evolution of ethnic identity and the role of leisure in the adaptation process of adolescent immigrants from Korea, Mexico and Poland. Specifically, the study attempted to explore problems young immigrants face after arrival, construction of their social networks, changes in their family relations as well as changes in the ways of spending free time after their settlement in the U.S. The study was set in the metro Chicago and Champaign-Urbana areas and focused on young people between the ages of 15 and 22 who are either 1st or 1.5 generation immigrants. As a part of the project 16 in-depth, semi structured interviews with teenagers and young adults have been conducted. Results Findings of the study indicate that ethnic identity of immigrant adolescents is shaped by three distinct processes. First, it is a result of self-discovery of their cultural differences vis-à-vis mainstream Americans and other minorities. Second, young immigrants establish their ethnic identity through comparisons with other members of their own ethnic in-group. Lastly, outside labeling is crucial in developing ethnic consciousness among immigrant adolescents. In terms of changes in their leisure behavior we established that leisure of Mexican and Polish teenagers became more commodified following their settlement in the United States. Second, immigrant adolescents began to display work patterns uncommon among young people residing in their home countries. Third, reevaluation of family relations following immigration proved to significantly alter their leisure behavior. Lastly, teenage immigrants began to display new leisure time patterns and new ways of organizing leisure activities. Three main themes surfaced with respect to the problems young immigrants experienced after their arrival. The first theme was related to issues of peer group acceptance. Young immigrants appeared to experience a certain degree of exclusion by their mainstream peer groups. Experiences with discrimination resulted in segregation both at school and in out-of-school settings, divisions within classes at school, a certain degree of alienation of immigrant youth and a creation of ethnically enclosed coalitions of students. New immigrants also appeared to be socially excluded by the more assimilated members of their own ethnic group. New family relations was a second theme identified from the interview material. All three groups of immigrants mentioned long-term separation from parents as one of the most disturbing consequences of the emigration process. Even when families finally became reunited, new problems related to family life tended to surface. The third theme was related to intergenerational conflict. The conflict manifested itself through the lack of acceptance by parents for their children's interethnic dating and marriage. It was most strongly pronounced for young Koreans whose parents generally insisted their children dated and married within their ethnic community. Polish and Mexican parents appeared to be more tolerant with respect to their children's choice of a partner. Intergenerational conflict also manifested itself in restrictions that some parents placed on their children's leisure. Again, it was most pronounced in Korean families where parents required their children to study for long hours, put severe restrictions on the amount of time their children could engage in leisure activities and did not allow them to work after school. Significance of research This research furthers our understanding of the factors that affect adaptation of immigrants and young people in particular as well as factors that contribute to their psychological and emotional well being. The results of the study will help teachers and school counselors as well as organizations serving the needs of diverse communities to understand the issues young people deal with after arrival to the United States and to address the most pressing needs of young ethnic minority members.
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