The process of identity formation for youth growing up in multicultural familial contexts

The present research examines the process of identity formation for young people who grew up in multicultural contexts. While identity development has been studied by many researchers, there is little research examining how young people who are simultaneously growing up in multiple cultures experience the process of identity formation. In the present research, ten young people (20-24 years old) who have parents from two different cultures that are different than the Euro-Canadian culture, and at least one parent is considered part of visible minority, were interviewed. Two of the participants took part in a focus group to enrich and validate the findings. The overarching category that emerged was processing being different. The first aspect of processing being different was exploring one’s belonging and one’s personal choices. The other aspect was managing relationships with family members and friends; and managing conflicts that arise in these relationships. While exploring different possibilities in how to belong to different cultural contexts and what choices to make, young people find themselves always trying to balance relationships and conflicts with significant people in their lives. The process of identity formation for multicultural youth is complex and dynamic. It requires them to exercise agency in exploring and making decisions. An appropriate support system that allows young people to express themselves and feel heard may facilitate the process of navigating between different cultural contexts and building resilience