Remote enculturation among Black immigrant adolescents in the United States

Abstract

Remote enculturation (RE), the process of engaging with one's heritage culture through indirect and/or intermittent exposure, could strengthen heritage culture identity and promote adaptation among immigrant-origin youth. This study used mixed methods to describe RE activities and their associations with positive adaptation among Black adolescents with Somali American and Jamaican American heritage (n = 89; ages 11–18). Common RE activities included preparing heritage culture foods (98%) and participating in traditions (92%). Accounting for covariates, more frequent RE was associated with higher heritage culture identity, school grades, parent-child engagement, and daily fruit and vegetable consumption. Content analysis of open-ended responses describing RE's personal impact revealed themes of connection to family and place, cultural identity (dis)connection, learning the heritage culture, and emotions. Overall, adolescents from two different cultural and immigration backgrounds frequently practiced RE activities and perceived them to be personally impactful, highlighting potential applications of RE to support resilience.