Ethnic Identity Exploration Among South Asian Immigrant Young Adults in New Zealand

Abstract

The exploration of ego-identity is a normative process that is necessary for the development of an achieved identity, but how this relates to ethnic identity for immigrant youth is not completely clear. This research sought to test a model combining theories of ego-identity and ethnic identity development with South Asian immigrant young adults in New Zealand. It was hypothesized that moratorium (ego-identity exploration without commitment) would trigger domain-specific ethnic exploration, evident in relationships with both negative (ethno-cultural identity conflict [EIC]) and positive (ethnic identity search [EIS]) facets of ethnic identity exploration. In turn, EIC was hypothesized to be negatively related to ethnic identity achievement (measured as a composite of centrality, in-group ties, and in-group affect), whereas EIS was hypothesized to be positively related to ethnic identity achievement. Results indicate that the model fit the data well, &khgr;2(1) = 0.72, p = .15, comparative fit index = 1.00, adjusted goodness-of-fit index = .96, root-mean-square error of approximation = .00, standardized root-mean-square residual = .01. These findings suggest that moratorium has a negative indirect effect on ethnic identity achievement (through EIC) and a positive indirect effect on ethnic identity achievement (through EIS).