Arrival Time Matters: The Effect of Biculturalism and Age of Arrival on College Adjustment

Abstract

The present study aimed to examine how Chinese bicultural students adjust to college using the Bicultural Integration Identity (BII) framework and the ways BII interact with other variables. Seventy-five Chinese bicultural students between the age of 18 through 35 completed an online survey assessing their BII levels, social capital, acculturative stress, and college adjustments. Using regression analysis, participants’ BII levels were a positive indicator for their college adjustment, (p = .02, r² = .13), bridging social capitals (p = .01, r² = .11), and a negative indicator for acculturative stress related to discrimination (p = .03, r² = .12). Additionally, there was a significant interaction effect between BII levels and participants’ age of arrivals in the United States. BII levels were only a positive indicator of dependent variables for participants who arrived in the United States between the ages of 6 through 17. However, BII acted as a negative indicator for participants who arrived after 18 years old. This study revealed that BII levels improve students’ adjustment to college, but only for those who arrived in the United States during middle childhood and adolescence. Possible limitations and implications on students’ identity development and college transition were discussed.