Social and psychological adjustment of Soviet-born and Israeli-born adolescents: The effect of the family

This study examined the impact of family functioning on the educational, social and emotional behavior of Soviet-born and Israeli-born adolescents in Israel. The parents of the Israeli-born adolescents were born in Russia; thus, this study controlled for their national background. The results showed that the two groups were similar in their perception about the way their families function. Both groups perceived that social and psychological well-being among adolescents were significantly related to family functioning. Multivariate analysis revealed that family functioning was the major factor predicting the level of self-esteem and peer relationships among adolescents, as well as a myriad of psychological symptoms. Directions for future research are discussed.