Abstract
Qualitative work has documented home-school cultural value mismatch—a mismatch between collectivistic family obligations and individualistic academic obligations—experienced by Latinx first-generation college students during their first year of study at a 4-year university. This study extends prior research by examining home-school cultural value mismatch among a larger, multi-ethnic sample from Latinx, Asian and European American backgrounds (N = 155) in order to quantify the phenomenon and generalize it across multiple ethnic groups. Antecedents and consequences of different forms of mismatch were assessed in separate models. In modeling antecedents, we found that Latinx background, first-generation college status and low parental income were interconnected. However, among these three variables, it was first-generation college status that was the sole predictor of strong collectivistic motives for attending college; these motives were, in turn, associated with more frequent mismatch between family obligation and academic obligation. In addition, being female directly related to mismatch prevalence, as did living close to home. In modeling consequences of cultural value mismatch, frequent home-school cultural value mismatch predicted mental and physical health distress, which predicted academic problems; such problems were, in turn, related to lower grades. Our findings document the generalizability of this experience for first-generation college students from all ethnic backgrounds, as well as the unique experiences of students who identify as female or live close to home. Our findings also reveal the health and academic costs associated with this mismatch. Implications for research, intervention, and institutional change are discussed and have become increasingly important, given recent societal events that require most students to remain closer to home during distance learning.
Highlights
Enrollment of Latinx students in post-secondary institutions has increased, they continue to lag behind their Asian and European American peers in earning degrees (Solórzano et al, 2005; Pew Research Center, 2016)
Research on disparities in educational attainment for Latinx youth has primarily focused on academic barriers, our quantitative findings suggest a different mechanism that explains Latinx students’ difficulties during the first year of college: being a first-generation college student and experiencing homeschool cultural value mismatch—mismatch between family and academic obligations
Students grappled with three sources of mismatch with their academic goals: (1) attending events and spending time with family, (2) assisting family in the here and and (3) choices between academics and family obligations with long-term implications
Summary
Enrollment of Latinx students in post-secondary institutions has increased, they continue to lag behind their Asian and European American peers in earning degrees (Solórzano et al, 2005; Pew Research Center, 2016). First-generation college students (students whose parents did not receive a college degree) are more likely to experience cultural mismatch—mismatch between their collectivistic values (where priority is given to group goals and community cohesion) learned at home and the independent or individualistic values of 4-year institutions (where priority is given to personal needs and goals). This general sense of mismatch has been rigorously examined and documented as causing a disruption in academic performance for first-generation college students during the firstyear of college. It can disrupt health via an increase in the stress hormone, cortisol, when placed in an experimentally induced cultural mismatch situation (Stephens et al, 2012c)
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