British South Asian young adults’ understandings of honour and identity processes

In honour cultures, the group’s social image and reputation are central to its identity and individuals (especially women and girls) within the group are expected to uphold them. A qualitative interview study was conducted to examine understandings of honour and the implications for identity processes in a sample of 18 second-generation British South Asian young adults. The data were analysed using qualitative thematic analysis through the conceptual lens of psychological coherence from identity process theory. The following four themes were developed: (1) understandings of honour; (2) honour entrusted to women; (3) threats to psychological coherence; and (4) strategies for managing psychological coherence. The findings indicate that the competing demands of honour expectations and Britishness can undermine psychological coherence. British South Asian young adults may attempt to safeguard feelings of psychological coherence by rejecting rigid behavioural expectations, by concealing aspects of their lives to navigate dual cultural pressures, and by redefining the content of their identity to resist honour expectations. Psychotherapeutic interventions should support clients to elect adaptive, effective, and sustainable coping strategies.