An Exploration of Ethnic and National Identity Development in Palestinian Youth in the West Bank

Abstract

Background: Childhood and adolescence are times of growth and development, regardless of a child’s ethnicity, heritage, or circumstances. Cognitive, emotional, and social developments facilitate the development of a psychosocial identity. Until recently, models of identity development have not taken into account the impact that culture can have on a child. Psychologists must begin to consider the impact that culture, environment, and family have on youths’ development of identity. This is especially true for the study of ethnic identity development. Furthermore, studies on ethnic identity should focus on particular ethnic groups, issues of social class, and issues related to the social environment (whether one’s region is peaceful or war torn), as developmental trajectories and conceptual models may vary depending on all these factors. The goal of this research was to address the gaps in the literature on ethnic identity development in Palestinian youth.