Promoting Adolescents' Heritage Cultural Identity Development: Exploring the Role of Autonomy and Relatedness Satisfaction in School-Based Interventions

J Youth Adolesc. 2024 Nov;53(11):2460-2479. doi: 10.1007/s10964-024-02017-3. Epub 2024 May 24.

Abstract

Given the significance of heritage cultural identity for optimal adolescent development, it is imperative to investigate factors influencing the efficacy of interventions aimed at promoting heritage cultural identity. Using latent profile cluster analysis and multinomial logistic regressions, this longitudinal study examined how autonomy and relatedness need satisfaction at school (1) related to heritage cultural identity development trajectories, and (2) moderated effects of a school-based intervention. The study included N = 198 adolescents (Mage = 12.86 years, SDage = 0.75, 52% female, 41% immigrant descent, 49% intervention group) in Germany. Teacher-student relationships played an important role in facilitating intervention effects on identity development trajectories, emphasizing the importance of the relational context when implementing school-based interventions to promote heritage cultural identity development.

Keywords: Adolescence; Ethnic-racial identity development; Identity Project; Intervention; Need satisfaction; School.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adolescent Development*
  • Child
  • Emigrants and Immigrants / psychology
  • Female
  • Germany
  • Humans
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Personal Autonomy*
  • Personal Satisfaction*
  • Schools
  • Social Identification*
  • Students / psychology