Social deviance among immigrant adolescents from the former Soviet Union in Israel: Data and risk factors

This paper describes the adjustment problems of immigrant adolescents from the former Soviet Union (FSU) in Israel and discussed risk factors for these problems. Adolescents from FSU immigrant families, native- and foreign-born, comprised in the last decade between 11% and 10% of their age-group in Israel. Presented are recent public data on education-related problems, substance abuse and delinquency among these adolescents. The data indicate that: a) FSU immigrants are highly overrepresented among maladjusted students in schools and among those who drop out of school; b) the use of alcohol and cigarettes is more common among FSU immigrant youth than among Israeli non-immigrant adolescents as is the use of ecstasy; c) the rate of involvement of FSU immigrant adolescents in criminal activity is considerable and surpasses their relative weight in the population. Economic hardships and difficulties to integrate into the new society combine as risk factors for maladjustment and delinquency among FSU immigrant adolescents. However, the decisive factor that determines the extent of their maladjustment is the quality of family functioning - family cohesion and relationships, parental functioning and the support extended to immigrant youths by their parents.