Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of acculturation and ethnic orientation on the psychological adjustment of Armenian youth in California. Method. 181 Armenian youth, 94 boys and 85 girls between the ages of 13 and 18 were administered a demographic questionnaire, the Armenian Ethnic Orientation Questionnaire (AEOQ), The Multi-group Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM) and the Achenbach Youth Self Report (YSR). Of the total sample 126 were born in the US and 70 were born outside of the US. Place of birth was used as the measure of acculturation and AEOQ and the MEIM were used as measures of ethnic orientation. Correlations were used to examination the relationships between acculturation, ethnic identity and psychological adjustment. Results. There were significant differences between Armenian boys and girls whereby boys scored higher on the delinquent behavior scale of the YSR. There were no significant difference between youth born in the United States and those born outside the United States on the YSR. There were no significant correlations between the ethnic orientation measures and the YSR. There were no significant correlations between feelings of discrimination and the YSR. There were positive correlations between the number of people living in the home and aggressive behavior, anxious/depressed subscale, identity problems, thought problems and withdrawal. There was a significant difference between those who felt angry toward Turkey's denial of the Genocide and those who felt that Armenia deserved justice on the delinquent behavior subscale, with those who felt anger scoring higher on the subscale. Armenian boys and girls demonstrated significant differences from the normative samples of referred and non referred youth. Transformation tables for the YSR measures are provided for the current sample. Discussion. Findings were not consistent with the literature regarding the acculturation stress experienced by foreign-born youth. The suggestion in the literature that ethnic orientation is a protective factor against psychological distress was not true for the current sample. Many barriers continue to exist for ethnic minority youth seeking services in the mental health system. It is important to deliver culturally competent services that considers the client's history, traditions, values and beliefs.