IDENTITY AMONG ADOLESCENT ARAB-AMERICANS IN DEARBORN Identity Among Adolescent Arab-Americans in Dearborn, Michigan: An Eriksonian Perspective by Zeinab M. Sobh A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership) at the University of Michigan-Dearborn 2020 Doctoral Committee: Professor Kim Killu, Chair Professor Paul R. Fossum, Committee Member Professor Julie Anne Taylor, Committee Member IDENTITY AMONG ADOLESCENT ARAB-AMERICANS IN DEARBORN i © Zeinab M. Sobh 2020 IDENTITY AMONG ADOLESCENT ARAB-AMERICANS IN DEARBORN ii Dedication This dissertation is dedicated to my three children, Ibrahim, Fatima, and Hussein, whose hearts and souls gave me the support and encouragement to complete this labor of love. You three have been by my side through the best of times and through the difficult times. I am so proud to be your mom and I hope I have made you proud as well. I also dedicate this dissertation to my loving parents, Mahmoud and Hana, who taught me the value of education and the power of family. You have provided the strength that I dearly needed throughout this process, and for the both of you, I will forever be thankful. IDENTITY AMONG ADOLESCENT ARAB-AMERICANS IN DEARBORN iii Acknowledgments I would like to express the deepest and most sincere appreciation to my committee chair, Dr. Kim Killu, who has been my pillar throughout this process. It is without a doubt that without her guidance and persistent help, this dissertation would not have been possible. She motivated me to continue when I doubted myself and often had enough faith in my work for the both of us. For this and so much more, I am eternally grateful. A very special thank you to my committee members, Dr. Paul R. Fossum and Dr. Julie Anne Taylor, for the invaluable expertise and feedback you both provided to me. I will alWays be grateful for your wisdom, time, and support in educating me in this process and encouraging my critical thought process. To my family who supported me and continued to lift me up throughout the process, thank you. Thank you for being you and for all those countless words of motivation and affirmations. To the administrators and teachers who assisted me with this study, your excitement and Willingness to provide your perspective made the completion of this research such a meaningful experience. Thank you for your crucial and invaluable insight. A very heartfelt thanks to all the adolescents who opened their hearts and shared their experiences with me. Without your openness and vulnerability, I could not have done this research. Your words have meaning and your experiences have value, and I hope I did them justice. IDENTITY AMONG ADOLESCENT ARAB-AMERICANS IN DEARBORN iv Table of Contents Dedication ....................................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgments .......................................................................................................................... iii Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................... iv List of Tables .................................................................................................................................. X List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ xi Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................................... 2 Historical Timeline of Arab-American Immigration .................................................................. 3 Purpose of Study ......................................................................................................................... 7 Problem Statement .................................................................................................................... 12 Research Questions ................................................................................................................... 13 Chapter 2: RevieW Of The Literature ........................................................................................... 15 OvervieW of Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages ............................................................................. 18 Stage One: Trust vs. Mistrust ................................................................................................ 18 Stage TWo: Autonomy vs. Shame ......................................................................................... 18 Stage Three: Initiative vs. Guilt ............................................................................................ 19 IDENTITY AMONG ADOLESCENT ARAB-AMERICANS IN DEARBORN v Stage Four: Industry vs. Inferiority ....................................................................................... 19 Stage Five: Ego Identity vs. Role Confusion ........................................................................ 19 Stage Six: Intimacy vs. Isolation .......................................................................................... 20 Stage Seven: Generativity vs. Stagnation ............................................................................. 20 Stage Eight: Ego Integrity vs. Despair .................................................................................. 20 Continuation of Erikson’s Fifth Stage of Development ........................................................... 21 Failing the Identity Crisis .......................................................................................................... 22 Erikson and the Arab-American Family ................................................................................... 23 Gender and Religion ................................................................................................................. 26 Gender ................................................................................................................................... 27 Religion-Islam ....................................................................................................................... 27 Psychological Stressors as a Result of the Identity Crisis ........................................................ 29 Arab-Americans: A Vulnerable Population .............................................................................. 29 Self-Esteem and Arab-Americans ......................................................................................... 31 Cultural Resources for Arab-Americans ............................................................................... 32 The Identity Crisis in the Classroom ........................................................................................ 33 School Climate ...................................................................................................................... 33 School Climate and Identity .................................................................................................. 34 Arab-Americans and the School Culture .............................................................................. 35 Self-Perceptions of the Adolescent Arab-American ................................................................. 36 IDENTITY AMONG ADOLESCENT ARAB-AMERICANS IN DEARBORN vi Self-Perceptions and Mental Health of the Arab-American Adolescent .............................. 37 School and Mental Health ..................................................................................................... 38 Cultural Attitudes Towards Mental Health ........................................................................... 38 Criticisms of Erikson’s Identity Concept .................................................................................. 39 Summary ................................................................................................................................... 41 Chapter 3: Methodology ............................................................................................................... 43 Research Questions ................................................................................................................... 44 Method ...................................................................................................................................... 44 Participants ............................................................................................................................ 45 Sampling ............................................................................................................................... 46 Guidelines for Developing IntervieW Questions ................................................................... 48 Data Sources ......................................................................................................................... 51 Consent/Assent for Participation .......................................................................................... 52 Researcher ............................................................................................................................. 54 Data Analysis .......................................................................................................................