Paper
Stories of Success and Failure among immigrant adolescents at risk: Developing a family/community based model of intervention
- issue: Issue 2 / 2009
- authors: Ludmila Rubinstein, Julia Mirsky, Vered Slonim-Nevo
- keywords: israel, intervention, immigrants
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- downloaded: 0
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abstract
Background. Adolescent immigrants cope with adaptation to a new culture during a developmental period already characterized by rapid changes. Psychological distress among immigrant adolescents is usually attributed to immigration-related losses: the loss of the peer group, the loss of reliable parental figures caused by the immigration-related crisis in parental functioning, and the loss of ethnic and cultural identity. This research focused on immigrant adolescents from the former Soviet Union, who have begun to manifest adjustment difficulties in school - truancy, absence, violent and disruptive behaviour, social isolation, and learning difficulties - and were at a high risk for school drop out and deterioration into social marginality.
The research focuses on vulnerable adolescents and their families and aims to develop evidence based interventions.
Purpose. The study aimed to understand what makes it possible for some adolescents to succeed coping with risk. Quantitative and qualitative data was gathered, on the long-term experience of immigrant adolescents who were identified as the most and the least successful in overcoming their difficulties. The "success" and "failure" stories laid the ground for the development of an intervention model that was implemented and evaluated.
Methods
- Psycho-social and educational assessment of immigrant adolescents aged 12-15 years who have begun to manifest adjustment difficulties - quantitative study. Data were collected in two points of time: in the beginning of school year 2003 (Nov - Jan) (N=268) and one year later (N=167).
- In-depth interviews with adolescents, who improved the most ("success stories"), and those who deteriorated the most ("failure stories"). The interviews ware conduced with 17 adolescents, 11 teachers and 9 parents.
- Developing a "wrap-around" model of systemic intervention, based on results obtained in stages 1 and 2. The intervention included the adolescents, their families, and representatives from the community.
- Implementation of the model with the 5 adolescents who showed the greatest deterioration, with their families and communities; and evaluate the effectiveness of the model in helping immigrant adolescents to improve their social, psychological and educational adjustment.
Key findings. The main finding of the quantitative stage was that most adolescents improved. The frequency of involvement in fights decreased, satisfaction with school achievements increased, certainty as to the realization of academic aspiration raised, and Hebrew proficiency improved. In addition, the participants expanded their social contacts with Israeli-born peers. Furthermore, significant improvement was observed in peer-relations, problem behaviour and psychological wellbeing of adolescents. Nevertheless, the frequency of truancy and drug and alcohol consumption rose. Surprisingly, contrary to intuitive assumption, the perception of family functioning and other independent variables that were expected to influence the outcome measures were not related to improvement or deterioration in the respondents' condition following one year. According to the linear regression analysis consistent tendency was observed: respondents whose condition at the beginning of the research was good - improved and those whose baseline condition was not good - deteriorated. It is plausible that variables such as family functioning and other independent variables influenced the baseline condition of the respondents, but not its dynamics over time.
The findings clearly identify a group of risk: that of immigrant adolescents located at the extreme lower end of the axis. Those are adolescents who are most likely to deteriorate further without significant intervention. Adolescents whose problems are relatively mild, despite some difficulties are likely to get better even without family-individual intervention. Therefore, most of the resources should be made available to immigrant adolescents whose condition is the worst.
The results of the qualitative part of the research made it possible to identify success-enhancing and success-inhibiting factors as follows: Learning difficulties and limited learning assistance was found to impede success, while suitable learning assistance was associated with success. Academic aspirations and plans for the future were found to assist to success, while absence of aspirations for future was associated with failure path. Social isolation, and negative social influence were associated with failure while good social relations and normative peer support was a success-enhancing factors. Absence of parental involvement and support, problematic family relations, and serious economic difficulties - these factors inhibited success. Close relations with the parents and family support promoted success. Limited investment of the school in its students, teachers' lack of concern and empathy, and bad relationships between teacher and student - all of these operated as success inhibit factors. However, teachers' involvement and their support were success-enhancing factors.
Implications and recommendations. The last stage of the research consisted of an intervention with five families and of the evaluation of this intervention. Here are the conclusions of this stage:
- The goals of interventions should be based on families' needs and desires. It's important to note, that every time we tried to define aims that seemed to us (professionals) as right and important (such as improving family communication etc), the families reacted by resistance and lack of cooperation. On the other hand, activities that suited participants' aspirations and wills improved their condition and had positive feedback. The conclusion therefore is that the most effective strategy is to intervene according to participants' needs and requests. This is especially important in case of immigrants who came with their cultural heritage and own understanding of how to deal with their problems.
- During the intervention, all families without exception, preferred to meet in their homes. Indeed, the home visits allowed meeting all family members at a time that was convenient for them and direct observation of family behaviour. Respecting the families' choice of meting place is the most effective strategy in working with those families.
- One of the interventions that were very helped to families was meditation and advocacy performed by the project teem vis a vis different institutions, and especially the schools. Immigrant parents cope with different difficulties: long working hours make it difficult for them to meet with the education teem and when they do meet, language difficulties, gaps in attitudes, perceptions and problem solving styles complicate communication. The project team's mediation helped created better communication between parents and schools, and other agencies.
- In a "wrap around" program it is very important to keep a flexible budget for financing the families' needs. In the present research, such a budget was used for private tutoring, preparing courses for matriculation exams, didactic tests, extra-curricular activities and coving various school expenses. This support was very much appreciated by the participant families.
Contacts: Ludmila Rubinstein, Department of Social Work, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, Israel, 84105. E-mail: rubinstl@bgu.ac.il, Phone 972-54-4934777, E-mail: julmir@bgu.ac.il, Phone 972-8-6472319, E-mail: slonim@bgu.ac.il, Phone 972-8-6472320.