Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Innovative Research in Education
Year: 2024
DOI:
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Barriers to Youth Learning: Understanding Culture, Ethnicity and Psychosocial Factors for Education Policy and Program Purposes
Alexander Reznik, Richard Isralowitz
ABSTRACT:
About 12% of youth in Israel, ages 13-18, are first or second-generation immigrants from the former Soviet Union, Ethiopia, France, Argentina and other countries. Immigrant youth are at high-risk of school dropout, problem behavior and substance use. The purpose of this presentation is to provide information about barriers to learning among multi-cultural high school youth. Information of this nature has value for education policy and program development purposes. Results showed youth of immigrant parents have more problem behavior (e.g., fighting, stealing, drug selling and current substance use (e.g. tobacco, alcohol including binge drinking and cannabis) than youth with parents of native origin status. This finding may be a result of inadequate acculturation, adaptation and marginalization factors. Also, immigrant family social economic status resulting from high levels of unemployment, public welfare dependence and acculturation difficulties were found linked to youth substance use and problem behavior. Religiosity, involvement in structured day and night time program activity and harmful substance availability control were found to be key prevention factors regardless of country of origin. This presentation contributes to an understanding of factors that contribute to successful learning and the prevention of school dropout among multi-cultural youth. The findings have implications for policy, prevention program development and the training of school teachers, counselors, mental health professionals, community service personnel, and others working with school youth.
keywords: education policy, multi-cultural youth, problem behavior