[Negative identity in young immigrants]

Immigrants experience conflicting values more frequently than "native" citizens. When experienced by immigrants in their teens, clashing values can give rise to feelings of rejection, as well as a negative self-image and image of others; in some cases, these opposing values even lead to family breakups. The identity crisis worsens if the messages conveyed by the social environment are contradictory or incoherent. If these messages present negative aspects, the self-image is threatened by being discredited, for example in the case of racist stereotypes and xenophobic reactions. The most dangerous response is the internalization of a discredited image. Youth react aggressively or repress a racist experience by negating it. For some, assimilation goes as far as putting down one's very own community. On the other hand, some will place enormous value on their differences and follow a strategy that can lead to political activism, which is not without its own forms of excess. These various strategies depend on specific factors: cultural traits, political trends, community links.