Adolescence is a critical period for identity development, including social identity, as adolescents orient themselves more towards social interactions and memberships. Cultural identity is an important example of social identity that comprises cultural attitudes and ethnic-racial identity. A stable identity development has proven to foster higher resilience and well-being, but it has become more challenging with the spread of globalization and immigration. In Italy, the disadvantages associated with immigrant status have even reached the school environment. Since school climate is an integral context for stable identity development, it must also encourage exploration and reflection of cultural identity. The Identity Project was developed in the United States to tackle these topics and has proven that adolescents’ exploration of their ethnic and cultural identity promotes better psychosocial well-being. Given the current diversity in Italian classrooms and the project’s initial success, the Identity Project was adapted to the Italian context and then implemented in schools in Padua, Italy. In addition to the quantitative analysis from self-report measures done to test its efficacy, qualitative feedback was also collected by conducting focus groups with the teachers and students who participated in the intervention. Their feedback highlighted the advantages of the project, like how students were receptive to the content of the intervention in its current state and favored more interactive meetings. It also revealed drawbacks, including students’ dissatisfaction with the length of self-report questionnaires and skepticism of the project’s implementation by teachers. This thesis will delve deeper into this qualitative feedback as its findings can guide changes and improvements to the adaptation and future implementation of the Identity Project.

Adolescence is a critical period for identity development, including social identity, as adolescents orient themselves more towards social interactions and memberships. Cultural identity is an important example of social identity that comprises cultural attitudes and ethnic-racial identity. A stable identity development has proven to foster higher resilience and well-being, but it has become more challenging with the spread of globalization and immigration. In Italy, the disadvantages associated with immigrant status have even reached the school environment. Since school climate is an integral context for stable identity development, it must also encourage exploration and reflection of cultural identity. The Identity Project was developed in the United States to tackle these topics and has proven that adolescents’ exploration of their ethnic and cultural identity promotes better psychosocial well-being. Given the current diversity in Italian classrooms and the project’s initial success, the Identity Project was adapted to the Italian context and then implemented in schools in Padua, Italy. In addition to the quantitative analysis from self-report measures done to test its efficacy, qualitative feedback was also collected by conducting focus groups with the teachers and students who participated in the intervention. Their feedback highlighted the advantages of the project, like how students were receptive to the content of the intervention in its current state and favored more interactive meetings. It also revealed drawbacks, including students’ dissatisfaction with the length of self-report questionnaires and skepticism of the project’s implementation by teachers. This thesis will delve deeper into this qualitative feedback as its findings can guide changes and improvements to the adaptation and future implementation of the Identity Project.

Italian adaptation of the Identity Project: qualitative findings concerning intervention efficacy

JABBOUR, ADRIANA
2021/2022

Abstract

Adolescence is a critical period for identity development, including social identity, as adolescents orient themselves more towards social interactions and memberships. Cultural identity is an important example of social identity that comprises cultural attitudes and ethnic-racial identity. A stable identity development has proven to foster higher resilience and well-being, but it has become more challenging with the spread of globalization and immigration. In Italy, the disadvantages associated with immigrant status have even reached the school environment. Since school climate is an integral context for stable identity development, it must also encourage exploration and reflection of cultural identity. The Identity Project was developed in the United States to tackle these topics and has proven that adolescents’ exploration of their ethnic and cultural identity promotes better psychosocial well-being. Given the current diversity in Italian classrooms and the project’s initial success, the Identity Project was adapted to the Italian context and then implemented in schools in Padua, Italy. In addition to the quantitative analysis from self-report measures done to test its efficacy, qualitative feedback was also collected by conducting focus groups with the teachers and students who participated in the intervention. Their feedback highlighted the advantages of the project, like how students were receptive to the content of the intervention in its current state and favored more interactive meetings. It also revealed drawbacks, including students’ dissatisfaction with the length of self-report questionnaires and skepticism of the project’s implementation by teachers. This thesis will delve deeper into this qualitative feedback as its findings can guide changes and improvements to the adaptation and future implementation of the Identity Project.
2021
Italian adaptation of the Identity Project: qualitative findings concerning intervention efficacy
Adolescence is a critical period for identity development, including social identity, as adolescents orient themselves more towards social interactions and memberships. Cultural identity is an important example of social identity that comprises cultural attitudes and ethnic-racial identity. A stable identity development has proven to foster higher resilience and well-being, but it has become more challenging with the spread of globalization and immigration. In Italy, the disadvantages associated with immigrant status have even reached the school environment. Since school climate is an integral context for stable identity development, it must also encourage exploration and reflection of cultural identity. The Identity Project was developed in the United States to tackle these topics and has proven that adolescents’ exploration of their ethnic and cultural identity promotes better psychosocial well-being. Given the current diversity in Italian classrooms and the project’s initial success, the Identity Project was adapted to the Italian context and then implemented in schools in Padua, Italy. In addition to the quantitative analysis from self-report measures done to test its efficacy, qualitative feedback was also collected by conducting focus groups with the teachers and students who participated in the intervention. Their feedback highlighted the advantages of the project, like how students were receptive to the content of the intervention in its current state and favored more interactive meetings. It also revealed drawbacks, including students’ dissatisfaction with the length of self-report questionnaires and skepticism of the project’s implementation by teachers. This thesis will delve deeper into this qualitative feedback as its findings can guide changes and improvements to the adaptation and future implementation of the Identity Project.
Cultural Identity
Intervention
Qualitative
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12608/30210