Skip to main navigation menu Skip to main content Skip to site footer
##common.pageHeaderLogo.altText##

Original article

Vol. 147 No. 4546 (2017)

Risk behaviours among native and immigrant youths in Switzerland: a cross-sectional study

  • Lorenzo Campisi
  • André Berchtold
  • Yara Barrense-Dias
  • Christina Akre
  • Mario Gehri
  • Joan-Carles Surís
DOI
https://doi.org/10.4414/smw.2017.14531
Cite this as:
Swiss Med Wkly. 2017;147:w14531
Published
08.11.2017

Summary

QUESTION UNDER STUDY

Switzerland has been receiving migrants of various origins for more than 50 years. The adoption of risk-taking behaviours among migrant youths is unclear. Moreover, when studied, migrant youths are rarely analysed according to whether they are first or second generation, or just young people with mixed origins. The aim of this study was to assess whether there are any differences between first-and second-generation immigrants, youths of mixed origins and their native peers in Switzerland concerning their engagement in risk behaviours.

METHODS

A total of 5834 youths from eleven post-mandatory schools in the canton of Fribourg (Switzerland) participated in the baseline survey of the GenerationFRee study, a longitudinal study to assess their lifestyle. Participants were divided by gender and by origin into: (a) natives: Swiss-born youths with Swiss-born parents, (b) first-generation migrants: foreign-born youths with foreign-born parents, (c) second-generation migrants: Swiss-born youths with foreign-born parents, (d) mixed-origin youths: Swiss-born youths with one Swiss-born parent and one foreign-born parent. Participants reported personal, family and school information, and attitudes towards eight risk behaviours. All significant variables at the bivariate level were included in a binary logistic regression.

RESULTS

The logistic regression showed that, compared with natives, first-and second-generation migrant boys were less likely to misuse alcohol. Boys of mixed origins were similar to migrants, although at the bivariate level they were more exposed to risk behaviours than were migrants. First-and second-generation migrant girls were less likely to misuse alcohol but three times more likely to be excessive Internet users. Girls of mixed origin were more likely to have their parents not living together and reported antisocial behaviours almost twice more often.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings expose a lower engagement in risk behaviours among migrants. The migrant status in these two groups is clearly buffered if other control variables are considered. Thus, we can affirm that in the present study, migrants are not a high-risk population or not more at risk than the native group. Mixed origin youths showed higher risk behaviours than natives and migrants. Special attention should be given to this specific group, as they may be more vulnerable during adolescence.

References

  1. Office Fédéral de la Statistique. Population selon le statut migratoire. Available at: https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/fr/home/statistiques/population/migration-integration/selon-statut-migratoire.html.
  2. Office Fédéral de la Statistique. Structure par âge de la population résidante permanente âgée de 15 ans ou plus selon le statut migratoire. Available at: https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/fr/home/statistiques/population/migration-integration.assetdetail.332353.html.
  3. Sarasa-Renedo A, Sordo L, Pulido J, Guitart A, González-González R, Hoyos J, et al. Effect of immigration background and country-of-origin contextual factors on adolescent substance use in Spain. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2015;153:124–34. doi:.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.05.040
  4. Amundsen EJ. Low level of alcohol drinking among two generations of non-Western immigrants in Oslo: a multi-ethnic comparison. BMC Public Health. 2012;12(1):535. doi:.https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-12-535
  5. Amundsen EJ, Rossow I, Skurtveit S. Drinking pattern among adolescents with immigrant and Norwegian backgrounds: a two-way influence? Addiction. 2005;100(10):1453–63. doi:.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2005.01177.x
  6. Hüsler G, Werlen E. Swiss and migrant adolescent - similarities and differences. Vulnerable Child Youth Stud. 2010;5(3):244–55. doi:.https://doi.org/10.1080/17450128.2010.487123
  7. Ferron C, Haour-Knipe M, Tschumper A, Narring F, Michaud PA. Health behaviours and psychosocial adjustment of migrant adolescents in Switzerland. Schweiz Med Wochenschr. 1997;127(35):1419–29.
  8. Darwish Murad S, Joung IM, van Lenthe FJ, Bengi-Arslan L, Crijnen AA. Predictors of self-reported problem behaviours in Turkish immigrant and Dutch adolescents in the Netherlands. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2003;44(3):412–23. doi:.https://doi.org/10.1111/1469-7610.00131
  9. Deković M, Wissink IB, Marie Meijer A. The role of family and peer relations in adolescent antisocial behaviour: comparison of four ethnic groups. J Adolesc. 2004;27(5):497–514. doi:.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2004.06.010
  10. Stevens GWJM, Vollebergh WAM. Mental health in migrant children. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2008;49(3):276–94. doi:.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2007.01848.x
  11. Belhadj Kouider E, Koglin U, Petermann F. Emotional and behavioral problems in migrant children and adolescents in Europe: a systematic review. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2014;23(6):373–91. doi:.https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-013-0485-8
  12. Hüsler G, Plancherel B. Social integration of adolescents at risk: Results from a cohort study. Vulnerable Child Youth Stud. 2007;2(3):215–26. doi:.https://doi.org/10.1080/17450120701459922
  13. Steinhausen HC, Bearth-Carrari C, Winkler Metzke C. Psychosocial adaptation of adolescent migrants in a Swiss community survey. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2009;44(4):308–16. doi:.https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-008-0437-7
  14. van Tubergen F, Poortman AR. Adolescent alcohol use in the Netherlands: the role of ethnicity, ethnic intermarriage, and ethnic school composition. Ethn Health. 2010;15(1):1–13. doi:.https://doi.org/10.1080/13557850903373908
  15. Peña JBWP, Wyman PA, Brown CH, Matthieu MM, Olivares TE, Hartel D, et al. Immigration generation status and its association with suicide attempts, substance use, and depressive symptoms among latino adolescents in the USA. Prev Sci. 2008;9(4):299–310. doi:.https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-008-0105-x
  16. Allgaier A-K, Pietsch K, Frühe B, Prast E, Sigl-Glöckner J, Schulte-Körne G. Depression in pediatric care: is the WHO-Five Well-Being Index a valid screening instrument for children and adolescents? Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2012;34(3):234–41. doi:.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2012.01.007
  17. Henkel V, Mergl R, Kohnen R, Maier W, Möller H-J, Hegerl U. Identifying depression in primary care: a comparison of different methods in a prospective cohort study. BMJ. 2003;326(7382):200–1. doi:.https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.326.7382.200
  18. Hibell B, Andersson B, Bjarnason T, Ahlström S, Balakireva O, Kokkevi A, et al. The ESPAD report 2003: Alcohol and Other Drugs Use Among Students in 35 European Countries. The Swedish Council for Information on Alcohol and Other Drugs; 2003.
  19. Pawlikowski M, Altstötter-Gleich C, Brand M. Validation and psychometric properties of a short version of Young’s Internet Addiction Test. Comput Human Behav. 2013;29(3):1212–23. doi:.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2012.10.014
  20. Boudreau B, Poulin C. The South Oaks Gambling Screen-revised Adolescent (SOGS-RA) revisited: a cut-point analysis. J Gambl Stud. 2007;23(3):299–308. doi:.https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-006-9039-z
  21. Byrnes JP, Miller DC, Schafer WD. Gender differences in risk taking: A meta-analysis. Psychol Bull. 1999;125(3):367–83. doi:.https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.125.3.367
  22. van Tubergen F, Poortman AR. Adolescent alcohol use in the Netherlands: the role of ethnicity, ethnic intermarriage, and ethnic school composition. Ethn Health. 2010;15(1):1–13. doi:.https://doi.org/10.1080/13557850903373908
  23. Bonfadelli H, Bucher P, Piga A. Use of old and new media by ethnic minority youth in Europe with a special emphasis on Switzerland. Communications. 2007;32(2):141–70. doi:.https://doi.org/10.1515/COMMUN.2007.010
  24. Suris JC, Akre C, Piguet C, Ambresin AE, Zimmermann G, Berchtold A. Is Internet use unhealthy? A cross-sectional study of adolescent Internet overuse. Swiss Med Wkly. 2014;144:w14061.
  25. Weiser EB. Gender differences in internet use patterns and Internet application preferences: A two-sample comparison. Cyberpsychol Behav. 2000;3(2):167–78. doi:.https://doi.org/10.1089/109493100316012
  26. Park S. The association between Internet use and depressive symptoms among South Korean adolescents. J Spec Pediatr Nurs. 2009;14(4):230–8. doi:.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6155.2009.00191.x
  27. Barker V. Older adolescents’ motivations for social network site use: the influence of gender, group identity, and collective self-esteem. Cyberpsychol Behav. 2009;12(2):209–13. doi:.https://doi.org/10.1089/cpb.2008.0228
  28. Killias M. Immigration and crime: The European experience. EU-US Immigration Systems 2011-19 Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, San Domenico di Fiesole (FI): European University Institute. 2011.
  29. Choi Y, Harachi TW, Gillmore MR, Catalano RF. Are multiracial adolescents at greater risk? Comparisons of rates, patterns, and correlates of substance use and violence between monoracial and multiracial adolescents. Am J Orthopsychiatry. 2006;76(1):86–97. doi:.https://doi.org/10.1037/0002-9432.76.1.86
  30. Udry JR, Li RM, Hendrickson-Smith J. Health and behavior risks of adolescents with mixed-race identity. Am J Public Health. 2003;93(11):1865–70. doi:.https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.93.11.1865
  31. Phillips L. Fitting in and feeling good: Patterns of self-evaluation and psychological stress among biracial adolescent girls. Women Ther. 2004;27(1-2):217–36. doi:.https://doi.org/10.1300/J015v27n01_15
  32. Herman M. Forced to choose: some determinants of racial identification in multiracial adolescents. Child Dev. 2004;75(3):730–48. doi:.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2004.00703.x
  33. Shih M, Sanchez DT. Perspectives and research on the positive and negative implications of having multiple racial identities. Psychol Bull. 2005;131(4):569–91. doi:.https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.131.4.569
  34. Killias M, Aebi M, Lucia S, Herrmann L, Dilitz C. Self-reported juvenile delinquency in Switzerland in 2006: overview and explanations. Report to the Swiss National Science Foundation Second International Self-reported Delinquency Survey: Swiss national survey (Swiss ISRD-2), FNS n 100012-109265. 2007;1.
  35. Bracey JR, Bamaca MY, Umana-Taylor AJ. Examining ethnic identity and self-esteem among biracial and monoracial adolescents. J Youth Adolesc. 2004;33(2):123–32. doi:.https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOYO.0000013424.93635.68
  36. Fisher S, Reynolds JL, Hsu WW, Barnes J, Tyler K. Examining multiracial youth in context: ethnic identity development and mental health outcomes. J Youth Adolesc. 2014;43(10):1688–99. doi:.https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-014-0163-2
  37. Choi Y, He M, Herrenkohl TI, Catalano RF, Toumbourou JW. Multiple identification and risks: examination of peer factors across multiracial and single-race youth. J Youth Adolesc. 2012;41(7):847–62. doi:.https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-012-9750-2
  38. Lorenzo-Blanco EI, Bares CB, Delva J. Parenting, Family Processes, Relationships, and Parental Support in Multiracial and Multiethnic Families: An Exploratory Study of Youth Perceptions. Fam Relat. 2013;62(1):125–39. doi:.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3729.2012.00751.x

Most read articles by the same author(s)

1 2 > >>