The present study aims to investigate whether support from a friend protects against the negative effects of ethnic harassment on engagement in delinquent and violent behaviors among immigrant adolescents in Sweden (n = 365; X = 13.93, SD = .80). We found that when ethnically harassed immigrant adolescents received friend support, they were less likely to engage in problem behaviors concurrently. Yet, friend support did not moderate the longitudinal associations between ethnic harassment and problem behaviors. These findings highlight the important role of supportive friendship relations in counteracting the detrimental effects of ethnic harassment on externalizing problems, particularly in the short term.
Funding Agency:
Swedish Institute scholarship