Ethnic and Personal Identity Enhance Life Satisfaction of Bulgarian and Romanian Youth

• Author: Dimitrova, R. - Buzea, C. - Jordanov, V.
• Position: Tilburg University, the Netherlands - Transilvania University of Brasov, Romania - National Sports Academy, Bulgaria
• Pages: 127-132

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov

Series VII: Social Sciences • Law • Vol. 6 (55) No. 2 - 2013

ETHNIC AND PERSONAL IDENTITY

ENHANCE LIFE SATISFACTION OF

BULGARIAN AND ROMANIAN YOUTH

R. DIMITROVA1 C. BUZEA2 V. JORDANOV3

Abstract: This study compares youth in Bulgaria and Romania by

examining differences in ethnic and personal identity and their relation to

well-being. Participants were 178 Bulgarian and 211 Romanian youth (15-19

years) who provided data on their ethnic identity, personal identity and life

satisfaction. Results showed that Bulgarians reported higher personal

identity commitment and exploration, whereas no group differences were

found for ethnic identity and reconsideration of commitment. A good fit was

found for a path model in which strong ethnic identity and achieved personal

identity (high commitment and exploration but low reconsideration of

commitment) lead to enchased well-being in both groups.

Key words: ethnic and personal identity, Bulgarian and Romanian youth,

well-being.

1 Tilburg University, the Netherlands.

2 Transilvania University of Brasov, Romania.

3 National Sports Academy, Bulgaria.

1. Introduction

In adolescence, well-being is strongly

interrelated to the process of identity

formation. The development of a coherent

and organized sense of identity [9] is a key

task in adolescence and can be captured by

the interplay of ethnic identity and

personal identity achievement [3]. Ethnic

identity refers to the process of

maintaining positive distinctiveness and

feelings associated with a sense of group

belonging [14], whereas personal identity

can be captured by the interplay of three

identity processes: commitment (choices

made in identity relevant areas and self-

confidence derived from these choices), in-

depth exploration (the extent to which

youth deal with current commitment and

reflect on their choices), and

reconsideration of commitment

(comparisons between current

commitments and other possible

alternatives and efforts to change present

commitments). This study compares youth

in Bulgaria and Romania by examining

differences in ethnic and personal identity

and their influence on well-being by

addressing two important literature gaps.

First, there is surprisingly little work on the

joint influence of ethnic identity and

identity commitment on well-being.

Second, much work investigates only one

cultural group in one country; therefore

cross-national studies are rather scarce. We

apply a comparative approach to

investigate youth in Bulgaria and Romania

because similarities (common history of