The ethnic composition of schools and students' problem behaviour in four European countries: the role of friends

TY - JOUR

T1 - The ethnic composition of schools and students' problem behaviour in four European countries: the role of friends

AU - Geven, S.

AU - Kalmijn, M.

AU - van Tubergen, F.

PY - 2016

Y1 - 2016

N2 - This study examines the relation between the proportion of co-ethnics in school and adolescents’ problem behaviour in school (e.g. skipping class and arguing with teachers) and whether friendship patterns are underlying this relationship. We use data from the Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Survey in Four European Countries on ±16,000 students in England, Germany, The Netherlands, and Sweden and find that children display less problem behaviour when the proportion of co-ethnics in school is higher. This relationship is mediated by the characteristics of the friends that students have: the proportion of co-ethnics in school positively relates to students’ proportion of in-school friends and co-ethnic friends in class, which are in turn negatively associated with problem behaviour in school. The strength and significance of these paths depend on students’ ethnicity and country of residence. Implications of this study are discussed in the conclusion.

AB - This study examines the relation between the proportion of co-ethnics in school and adolescents’ problem behaviour in school (e.g. skipping class and arguing with teachers) and whether friendship patterns are underlying this relationship. We use data from the Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Survey in Four European Countries on ±16,000 students in England, Germany, The Netherlands, and Sweden and find that children display less problem behaviour when the proportion of co-ethnics in school is higher. This relationship is mediated by the characteristics of the friends that students have: the proportion of co-ethnics in school positively relates to students’ proportion of in-school friends and co-ethnic friends in class, which are in turn negatively associated with problem behaviour in school. The strength and significance of these paths depend on students’ ethnicity and country of residence. Implications of this study are discussed in the conclusion.

KW - ethnic composition

KW - ethnic congruence

KW - student behaviour

KW - friendships

KW - adolescence

KW - SSCI

U2 - 10.1080/1369183X.2015.1121806

DO - 10.1080/1369183X.2015.1121806

M3 - Article

SN - 1369-183X

VL - 42

SP - 1473

EP - 1495

JO - Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies

JF - Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies

IS - 9

ER -