Peer Aggression and Sexual Harassment among Adolescents in Turkey and Finland; Perceived Ethnic Discrimination and School Connectedness in Relation to Immigrant Status

Porko-Hudd, M. (Medlem av betygsnämnden )
Hemberg, J. (Medlem av betygsnämnden )
Nyman-Kurkiala, P. (Medlem av betygsnämnden )
Joám Evans Pim (Opponent)

Aktivitet: Utvärdering, bedömning eller examination › Förhandsgranskare eller opponent av doktorsavhandling eller medlem i betygsnämnden

Period	31 okt. 2024
Examinand	Isla Varpula
Examination vid	Åbo Akademi
Omfattning	Internationell

Dokument och länkar

The present thesis had a dual purpose. First, it aimed to delve into the prevalence of various forms of peer aggression (physical, verbal, indirect, and cyber) and sexual harassment (physical and verbal) among two distinct groups of young adolescents (aged 9-15) in Turkey and Finland. The investigation encompassed not only the perpetration of aggression but also the experiences of victimisation. The study evaluated sex-based differences in both perpetration and victimisation, along with distinctions between the two samples. In Turkey, data were sourced from diverse regions, enabling a comparison of regional disparities. While peer aggression among adolescents in Finnish schools has received considerable research attention, the same is not true for Turkey. Similarly, sexual harassment has been extensively studied in workplaces but not adequately explored in school settings. Studies I and II in this thesis were designed to address some of these existing research gaps. Second, the thesis aimed to investigate perceived ethnic discrimination among Finnish secondary school students from three distinct family backgrounds: (1) native Finns, (2) immigrants, and (3) adolescents with a multicultural background, i.e., having one parent who is a native Finn and the other an immigrant. Notably, adolescents with a multicultural family background have been underrepresented in previous research. The study also investigated school connectedness concerning ethnic discrimination, which represents another gap in the existing literature. The specific research questions included: (1) the correlation between family background and perceived ethnic discrimination (PED) and school connectedness; (2) the extent to which students' sex was associated with PED and school connectedness; and (3) the presence of an interaction effect between family background and sex on PEDand school connectedness. This objective was explored in Study III. Study 1. The first study delved into sex and regional differences in victimization and perpetration of aggression and sexual harassment among Turkish school adolescents. A questionnaire was completed by 482 young adolescents (9–15 years old) from four Turkish regions, exploring six forms of aggression and harassment. Sex differences emerged in victimization and perpetration of aggression, with boys showing higher involvement in sexual harassment. Regional disparities were identified, with Southeastern adolescents scoring higher on certain forms of victimization and perpetration. Study 2. The study compared peer aggression and sexual harassment among young adolescents in Finland and Turkey, exploring sex differences and the interaction effect of country and sex. A questionnaire was completed by 1,747 adolescents (1,268 from Finland, 479 from Turkey, Mage = 14.1). More Turkish adolescents, especially boys, were involved in aggression as victims and perpetrators compared to their Finnish counterparts. The interaction effect indicated that Turkish boys had the highest involvement in certain forms of aggression and harassment. Notably, Finnish girls scored higher in victimisation from indirect aggression, while Turkish boys scored higher than Finnish boys. Study 3. The study examined the impact of family background and sex on perceived ethnic discrimination and school connectedness among adolescents in Finland. A comprehensive online questionnaire was administered to a diverse sample of 1,827 adolescents aged 12 to 19, attending both Finnish- and Swedish-speaking schools in Western Finland. The adolescents were classified into distinct family backgrounds: native, multicultural, or immigrant. An investigation of perceived ethnic discrimination was conducted, differentiating its sources—whether manifested by peers, teachers, or other individuals. Results revealed that adolescents with an immigrant background reported higher levels of perceived ethnic discrimination across various sources, coupled with lower scores in school connectedness compared to their counterparts. Notably, boys exhibited elevated scores in perceived ethnic discrimination from peers and others, yet paradoxically reported higher levels of school connectedness than girls. Furthermore, a noteworthy interaction effect emerged between immigrant background and student’s sex, particularly in instances where girls with a multicultural background experienced heightened discrimination from peers and others compared to boys with a similar multicultural background.