The Impact of Religiosity, Ethnic Identity, Acculturation and Discrimination On the Self-Esteem and Academic Achievement of Somali Youth in the United States

Background and Purpose: Adolescents resettled outside of their countries of origin struggle with multiple crises caused by simultaneous developmental and cultural transitions. During the last quarter of the 20th century, an increasing number of refugees and immigrants of color, specifically from the African continent and many of whom are women and children, arrived in the United States (Al-Issa, 1997). Newer immigrants are from all parts of the world and belong to world religions other than Christianity. Among the latest arrivals are Somalis from East Africa. The social science and social work literature have not kept pace with analyzing the experiences of Somalis in the United States, especially Somali youth, despite the known challenges immigrants and refugees face during the process of settling into and adjusting to their newly adopted homelands (Darboe, 2003; De Voe, 2002; Forbes, 1985). Research reaffirms that academic achievement is a critical factor in determining whether immigrants will incorporate themselves into the American mainstream or struggle without a sense of belonging and resignation to downward mobility (Rumbaut & Portes, 2001). The purpose of this study was to examine which socio-demographic and socio-cultural variables best predict the self-esteem and academic achievement of Somali youth. The study utilized the socio-demographic variables of age, gender, place of birth, and length of residence in addition to the socio-cultural variables of language competence, religiosity, ethnic identity, acculturation, and perceived discrimination. All of which were expected to predict the self-esteem and academic achievement of the Somali youth. Methods: For this cross-sectional study, a convenience sample of 156 Somali youth was recruited from the Northeastern United States. Of these, 131 youth completed a self-administered survey. Canonical correlation and multiple regression analyses were utilized to examine the predictors of self-esteem and academic achievement among Somali youth. Results: The outcome of canonical correlation analyses indicated that Somali girls, those with higher levels of religiosity and those with higher acculturation scores, had higher self-esteem and higher school grades (F(20,192)=1.62, p<.05). Multiple regression analyses indicated that gender was the only predictor of self-esteem (β= .21; p<.05). Religiosity (β=.30; p<.001), gender (β=.26; p<.05) and acculturation (β=.22; p<.001) were predictors of school grades (F=6.06; R2=.15), whereas greater language competence in English (β=.30; p<.05) and higher religiosity (β=.23; p<.05) were predictors of higher standardized test reading scores (F=4.855; R2=.12). Implications: Implications stem from findings indicating that Somali girls in this study have higher levels of self-esteem and higher school grades, at a time when Somali boys have come under scrutiny for vulnerability to become radicalized (Liepman, 2009). There are warning signs that a segment of the Somali youth, especially boys, are increasingly at risk of deviant behaviors; a local government report have details Somali youth membership in gangs, involvement with drugs, disorderly conduct and truancy (Adan, 2006). Future research on the experiences of Somali youth in the United States would serve our national interest and contribute to a deeper professional understanding of their strengths and challenges, and guide the development of effective strategies for practice with Somali youth.