Turkish Immigrant Children Research Articles

Adaptation of second-generation Turkish Americans in the U.S.A.: extending differential adaptation theory to the offspring of immigrants

ABSTRACT Contributing to the attempts to explore communication and adaptation, this study centers on the lived experiences of second-generation Turkish Americans as they navigate a space that is shared among the culture of their origins and the U.S. culture into which they are born. By extending differential adaptation theory (DAT) to the offspring of Turkish immigrants, this qualitative study illustrates how the U.S. shapes the agency these offspring immigrants have in communicating their cultural identity. Twenty-two second-generation Turkish Americans were interviewed about communication challenges from a DAT lens. Findings suggest that U.S.-born children of Turkish immigrants take on differential means of adaptation in communicating cultural identity held in their names and access to their cultural groups. The experiences of offspring immigrants demonstrate how differential adaptation contrasts with differential adaptation experiences of their immigrant parents. Finally, limitations to this study are explored and offer a call to the continuation of cultural adaptation research.

Fraser’s social justice theory revisited: experiences of Turkish immigrant children in Northern Cyprus from the parental perspective

ABSTRACT In many countries, immigrants are confronted with different forms of social injustices and systemic inequities. From the early stages of their lives, immigrant students experience struggles that are translated into compromised learning trajectories, fewer employment opportunities, and lower income. Over the last two decades, schools in Northern Cyprus have faced challenges due to increasing numbers of immigrant students. Informed by Fraser’s social justice theory, the present study examines immigrant students’ educational experiences from the parental perspective. Using a phenomenological research design, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 12 low-SES Turkish parents living in the ghetto of Nicosia. Our analysis revealed deep-rooted injustices that shape educational experiences of immigrant children and further jeopardise their educational opportunities. We also found that the challenges faced by immigrant children doubled when they had disabilities. This study will inform more effective policy interventions and provide insights to researchers to advance social justice research in education by highlighting the struggles and realities of immigrant children.

No evidence for effects of Turkish immigrant children's bilingualism on executive functions.

Recent research has increasingly questioned the bilingual advantage for executive functions (EF). We used structural equation modeling in a large sample of Turkish immigrant and German monolingual children (N = 337; aged 5–15 years) to test associations between bilingualism and EF. Our data showed no significant group differences between Turkish immigrant and German children’s EF skills while taking into account maternal education, child gender, age, and working memory (i.e., digit span backwards). Moreover, neither Turkish immigrant children’s proficiency in either language nor their home language environment predicted EF. Our findings offer important new evidence in light of the ongoing debate about the existence of a bilingual advantage for EF.

Mother Tongue of Turkish Immigrant Children in Berlin: to Be or not to Be?

How do bilingual Turkish children develop their mother tongue knowledge in German kindergartens and what are some of the difficulties they face? These are the questions which this paper tries to answer. For this purpose, a study with Turkish kindergarten children from Berlin, Germany was conducted. A total of 40 children were divided into two groups between 3 and 6 years old and tested twice in a year with the TEDIL Test . The test consists of pictures and measures the knowledge of Turkish nouns, verbs, adjectives, prepositions, and syntax. All of the children were tested individually by a native Turkish speaker and by the researcher. The testing was done in the kindergarten setting. The results showed that the knowledge of both age groups on different grammatical categories in Turkish was equal on the first test and there were no statistical differences. However, during the second test the group of older children showed a decrease in their knowledge of the grammatical categories in their mother tongue. This paper discusses the factors that influenced the regression in the knowledge of Turkish. This study is one of only a few on bilingual Turkish children and it presents new information about mother tongue loss among kindergarten children, discusses the reasons, and suggests that kindergartens and families should cooperate and work together in order to prevent mother tongue loss from a very early age as well as its effect on the cognitive development of bilingual children.

Mother Tongue of Turkish Immigrant Children in Berlin: to Be or not to Be?

How do bilingual Turkish children develop their mother tongue knowledge in German kindergartens and what are some of the difficulties they face? These are the questions which this paper tries to answer. For this purpose, a study with Turkish kindergarten children from Berlin, Germany was conducted. A total of 40 children were divided into two groups between 3 and 6 years old and tested twice in a year with the TEDIL Test . The test consists of pictures and measures the knowledge of Turkish nouns, verbs, adjectives, prepositions, and syntax. All of the children were tested individually by a native Turkish speaker and by the researcher. The testing was done in the kindergarten setting. The results showed that the knowledge of both age groups on different grammatical categories in Turkish was equal on the first test and there were no statistical differences. However, during the second test the group of older children showed a decrease in their knowledge of the grammatical categories in their mother tongue. This paper discusses the factors that influenced the regression in the knowledge of Turkish. This study is one of only a few on bilingual Turkish children and it presents new information about mother tongue loss among kindergarten children, discusses the reasons, and suggests that kindergartens and families should cooperate and work together in order to prevent mother tongue loss from a very early age as well as its effect on the cognitive development of bilingual children.

School-Related Social Support Is Associated With School Engagement, Self-Competence and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) in Turkish Immigrant Students

This study examines how school-related social support from teachers and classmates is related to the health-related quality of life (HRQoL), school engagement, and self-competence of Turkish immigrant students in Germany. We used data from the SIMCUR study with a longitudinal and cohort-sequential design. The study included a total of 216 Turkish immigrant children and adolescents. Complete longitudinal data was available for 161 participants. Students rated their perceived teachers and classmate support, HRQoL, school engagement, and self-competence in math and reading in 4th (n = 136), 5th (n = 110), and 6th grades (n = 100) (middle/ M-cohort), or in 7th (n = 73) and 8th (n = 69) grades (older/ O-cohort). Multiple regression analysis revealed that school-related social support had positive effects on all outcomes in 4th grade. In 5th, 6th and 7th grades, higher classmate support was associated with higher HRQoL but not with school engagement and self-competence, whereas higher teacher support was associated with higher school engagement and self-competence but not with HRQoL. In 8th grade, only a positive effect of teacher support on school engagement was found. Girls were more likely to report higher school-related social support, but this reached significance only for the the M-cohort. Boys in 5th, 7th, and 8th grades reported higher self-competence in math than girls. We found hardly any effects of maternal education level on HRQoL and school outcomes of students. Only for 4th grade students was higher maternal education level associated with higher school engagement. Our findings indicate that for younger children especially in elementary school, teacher and classmate support has positive effects on both HRQoL and school-related variables; for students at the beginning of middle school, classmate support only has an influence on HRQoL. Regarding school matters, students in these grades profit from teacher support as from classmates. During adolescence, school-related social support loses significance in terms of HRQoL and self-competence. However, teacher support still seems to have a significant impact on students’ school-engagement. From an applied perspective, interventions aimed at HRQoL and academic achievement of children and adolescents should include a focus on social support by teachers and classmates.

Shifting frames: Turkish immigrant children's rescaling practices in two school settings in Arizona

This study uses the framework of space and scale to examine how bilingual Turkish heritage children in Arizona respond to conflicting scalar language hierarchies (Blommaert et al., 2005; Blommaert, 2007) they are exposed to in the bilingual worlds and spaces which they navigate. At their US elementary school, where monolingual English language practices are advocated and heritage languages such as their own Turkish language are downscaled, they use Turkish at the margins to create private spaces and footings (Shankar, 2008; Goffman, 1981) where they can help and interact with Turkish peers and express personal stances, rescaling Turkish language practices. In their Turkish Saturday school, where monolingual Turkish practices and “speaking Turkish beautifully” are advocated by teachers, child peers embrace English language practices and Turkish–English code-switching as their preferred media of peer talk away from teachers and as media to explore home and personal meanings (e.g., religious meanings). Children's patterns of code-choice and language use rescale language resources in the two school settings, and allow them to forge alignments with peers. They also provide a resource for stance-taking and commenting on boundaries between languages drawn by adults in the bilingual worlds they navigate (Bailey, 2007; Jaffe, 2009; Kyratzis and de León 2019).

Labour Market Disadvantages of Second‐Generation Turks and Moroccans in the Netherlands: Before and during the Great Recession

AbstractThis study uses two waves of panel data to examine the labour market integration of children of Moroccan and Turkish immigrants in the Netherlands. The data show a persisting educational attainment gap in terms of high school completion and post‐secondary attendance. The analyses of prime working‐age respondents indicate substantial ethnic penalties that accrue from the hiring process: controlling for educational background and demographics, the youngest cohort of the second generation is less likely to have employment than the native Dutch. We improve on earlier research on ethnic penalties in the Dutch labour market by including measures of precarious work – the chance of avoiding of non‐contracted work – and by comparing minorities’ standing in a pre‐recession (2009) and a peak‐recession (2013) labour market. The results indicate increasing employment disadvantages for both second‐generation groups at a time of labour surplus.

Differences in pragmatic skills between bilingual Turkish immigrant children in the Netherlands and monolingual peers

In bilingualism studies, comparing the competence of mono- and bilingual speakers is common, but it comes with certain limitations. In immigration contexts, many studies concentrate on the skills of immigrant pupils in the mainstream language. In order to account for educational underachievement of minority children, gaps in their language development are often documented by comparing mainstream pupils with immigrant children. Competence in the first language (L1), on the other hand, receives very little attention, despite the fact that it is often assumed that L1 competence has an impact on second language acquisition. Here, we present the findings of an empirical study that compared bilingual Turkish immigrant children ( n = 30) in the Netherlands with monolingual Turkish peers ( n = 30) in Turkey. Contrary to most other such studies, we focus on the development of socio-pragmatic skills. The evidence shows that, from the viewpoint of monolingual conventions, the immigrant children lag behind in their command of these skills. Also after controlling for socioeconomic status, bilingual Turkish immigrant children display much lower knowledge of the socio-pragmatic skills than monolingual Turkish children. The causes of this difference can be attributed to the limited Turkish input in the immigration context.

Preschools as language learning environments for children of immigrants. Differential effects by familial language use across different preschool contexts

Children of immigrants often enter school with lower language skills than children of native-born parents. In this paper, we analyze the impact of the duration of preschool attendance on the language development from age three to six of children of Turkish immigrants and children of native-born parents in Germany. We investigate whether the impact of preschool attendance differs by familial language use while also considering different characteristics of the preschool context (quality and ethnic composition). Using fixed effects models, we find that a longer time spent in preschool is associated with better German language skills for Turkish-origin children with low levels of German language input at home. This result is very stable across different preschool contexts. The results highlight the importance of targeted interventions at an early age.

The Impact of Familial Activities on the Verbal and Non-verbal Skills of Children of Turkish Immigrants in Germany

A vast array of studies has demonstrated that stimulating activities within the family (e.g., reading to child, singing together) positively affect children's development in various domains. However, this influence is less established for children of immigrants. This paper analyses the impact of familial activities on non-verbal cognitive skills and German-language skills of six-year-old children of Turkish immigrants in Germany. It is argued that not only the frequency of familial activities but also the language use during these activities needs to be considered in immigrant families which has rarely been done in the previous literature. Not taking into account the language use during these activities might be especially problematic in the domain of verbal skills. The empirical results show that the frequency of stimulating familial activities is positively associated with children's verbal and non-verbal skills. In contrast, the language use during these activities only affects children's language skills but not their non-verbal cognitive skills. It is concluded that the language use during familial activities needs to be taken into account in the case of verbal skills.International Research in Early Childhood Education, vol. 4, no. 1, p. 91-104

Partner Choices of the Second Generation of Turkish and Former Yugoslav Origin in Switzerland: A Comparative Analysis

Abstract This paper explores the partner choices (exogamy, local endogamy, and transnational endogamy) of the children of Turkish and former Yugoslav immigrants, who share a comparable migration history in Switzerland, based on the Swiss TIES (The Integration of the European Second Generation) survey. The comparison of these groups puts Turkish youths’ partner choice (low exogamy and relatively high transnational endogamy) into a wider perspective. Moreover, the comparison allows to disentangle ethnic and religious affiliations in order to test hypotheses on the role of ethnicity and religion in partner choices. While ethnic endogamy prevails in the two groups under study, religious boundaries are not stronger than ethnic ones. The second generations’ desire for religious and educational homogamy appears to be a reason for transnational endogamy.

First-language skills of bilingual Turkish immigrant children growing up in a Dutch submersion context

ABSTRACTThe interdependence between the first and second language of bilingual immigrant children has not received sufficient attention in research. Most studies concentrate on mainstream language skills of immigrant pupils. In some studies, the gaps in the language development of immigrant children are documented by comparing mainstream pupils with immigrant children. The competence in the first language receives very little attention. In order to show the role of first language competence in second-language acquisition and lower school achievement, we present the findings of our empirical study by comparing bilingual Turkish immigrant children (n = 30, mean age = 67.27 months) in the Netherlands and monolingual Turkish speakers (n = 30, mean age = 66.97 months) in Turkey. The evidence presented in this paper shows that compared to monolingual Turkish speakers, Turkish immigrant children lag behind in their first language cognitive concepts, lexical, syntactic, and textual skills. Mothers’ education level turns out to be an important factor in explaining the performance differences of immigrant children. This would have an effect on their concept and cognitive development as well as on their second-language acquisition.

Inconsistent Paternal Behavior Predicts Turkish Immigrant and German Children s and Adolescents Mental Health

Objective: Data about Turkish immigrant fathers in Germany is scarce and it is not known how their parenting behavior may affect their children’s outcomes. The aim of this longitudinal study was to test whether Turkish immigrant and German fathers’ inconsistent discipline predicted their children’s mental health. Methods: Turkish immigrant (n=115) and German fathers (n=76) were administered the Inconsistent Discipline Scale items of the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire (APQ). One year later, fathers rated their children’s (N=191; age range 6-16 years; n=97 (50.8%) male) mental health with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Results: Self-reported levels of inconsistent discipline were the same among Turkish immigrant and German fathers. Turkish immigrant children had higher peer relationship problem scores compared with German children but there were no ethnic differences in total difficulties, emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivityinattention, and prosocial behavior. Multivariate regression analyses showed that both Turkish immigrant and German fathers’ inconsistent discipline predicted higher total difficulties (s=0.24; p=0.001), hyperactivity-inattention (s=0.20; p=0.007), peer problems (s=0.21; p=0.005), and lower prosocial behavior (s=-0.21; p=0.004) after statistically controlling for child gender and age, as well as paternal education. There were no effects of inconsistent behavior on emotional symptoms and hyperactivity-inattention. Conclusion: The negative effects of fathers’ inconsistent discipline on children’s and adolescents’ mental health are similar in the Turkish immigrant and German native population. Fathers’ use of consistent parenting behavior may be a potential target for parenting interventions aimed at improving youth mental health.

Trend in height of Turkish and Moroccan children living in the Netherlands.

ObjectivesTo study trends in height of Turkish and Moroccan immigrant children living in The Netherlands, to investigate the association between height and background characteristics in these children, and to calculate height-for-age-references data for these groups.DesignNationwide cross-sectional data collection from children aged 0 to 18 years by trained professionals in 1997 and 2009. The study population consisted of 2,822 Turkish 2,779 Moroccan, and 13,705 Dutch origin children in 1997and 2,548 Turkish, 2,594 Moroccan, and 11,255 Dutch origin children in 2009. Main outcome measures: Mean height in cm, and mean height standard deviation scores.ResultsIn 2009, mean height at the age of 18y was similar for Turkish and Moroccan children: 177 cm for boys and 163 cm for girls, which was 2 to 3 cm taller than in 1997. Still, Turkish and Moroccan adolescents were 5.5 cm (boys) to 7 cm (girls) shorter than their Dutch peers. No significant differences were found in mean height standard deviation scores across the educational level of the parents, geographical region, primary language spoken at home, and immigrant generation.ConclusionsWhile the secular height increase in Dutch children came to a halt, the trend in Turkish and Moroccan children living in The Netherlands continued. However, large differences in height between Turkish and Moroccan children and Dutch children remain. We found no association with the background characteristics. We recommend the use of the new growth charts for children of Turkish and Moroccan origin who have a height-for-age below -2SD on the growth chart for Dutch children.

Turkish-language ability of children of immigrants in Germany: which contexts of exposure influence preschool children's acquisition of their heritage language?

A lot of research has been devoted to explaining immigrants' acquisition of the language of the receiving country. However, less attention has been paid to explaining the acquisition of the heritage language among children of immigrants. The most important determinant for young children is exposure to the language. Language exposure can occur in various contexts, such as within the family, during preschool, through peers or via media. Our empirical analysis therefore explores which of these contexts is most statistically significant for the acquisition of the heritage language among children of Turkish immigrants. Using data from the project Preschool Education and Educational Careers among Migrant Children, we show that all contexts are important at different age levels but the acquisition of the heritage language is mainly determined by the exposure to it within the family.

Marrying “In” or “Out”? Scrutinizing the Link Between Integration and the Partner Choice of Young People of Turkish and Moroccan Origin in the Netherlands

For the past 10 to 15 years, Dutch policy makers and researchers, the general public, and minority organizations have been preoccupied with the marital choices of the children of Turkish and Moroccan immigrants. This concern was prompted by both the continuously high incidence of transnational marriages (to a spouse who has grown up in and usually migrates from the country of origin, i.e., Turkey or Morocco) leading to marriage migration, and the low incidence of ethnic intermarriage with Dutch natives. This is because their partner choice is—rather unquestioningly—considered as an indication of their level of integration in and orientation toward Dutch society. My qualitative research into the mechanisms of partner choice, courtship, and family formation by young people of Turkish and Moroccan origin calls into question the ease with which policy makers and researchers assume partner choice and cultural integration to be linked.

Spousal Choice among the Children of Turkish and Moroccan Immigrants in Six European Countries: Transnational Spouse or Co-ethnic Migrant?

Transnational marriages of migrants in Western Europe tend to be seen as hampering integration. In response, policies have been tightened, despite little knowledge on transnational marriages and the effects of such measures. This paper investigates the role of individual preferences and contextual factors such as family reunification policies, group size and development levels of the regions of origin in partner choice of the children of Turkish and Moroccan immigrants. We draw on a novel dataset collected in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden. Our findings suggest that transnational marriages are partly associated with contextual factors such as a rural origin and family reunification policies. The analysis indicates higher rates of transnational marriages under open family reunification policies, providing tentative evidence of policy effects. On the individual level, the choice of a partner from the parents’ origin country is associated with religiosity.

Turkish Immigrant Children’s Involvement in Life in the USA

KEYWORDS Cultural Contexts. Socio-cultural Adaptation. Immigrant's Involvement in Life ABSTRACT Through globalization and the gains and losses of industrialization, people move from one place to another both inside or outside their cultural boundaries. Most of these people continue their lives in the new socio- cultural environment, and thus need to adopt a new lifestyle. If they have dependents, they may also need to change other aspects of their way of life. The United States of America receives a large number of immigrants from many other countries all over the world, and the children of these immigrants represent the diverse child population in the US. This study considers the socio-cultural adaptation of Turkish immigrant children into the US society. Data concerning the viewpoints of the children themselves as well as of their teachers and parents were collected and analyzed for the study. The results obtained show that Turkish immigrant children are involved in life in the US with great success and do not have socio-cultural problems in the host society.

Family and Individual Factors Associated with Turkish Immigrant and German Children’s and Adolescents’ Mental Health

Turkish immigrants represent the largest ethnic minority in Germany however information about the factors associated with their children’s mental health is scarce. This study examined family and individual factors associated with the strengths and difficulties of Turkish immigrant children and adolescents in comparison with their German peers. Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires (SDQs) were rated by participants’ mothers (N = 480) and teachers (n = 164). Compared with German mothers (n = 121), Turkish immigrant mothers (n = 359) rated their children’s total difficulties, their emotional symptoms and peer problems as well as their prosocial behavior as significantly higher. In contrast, there were no differences in the participating teachers’ ratings of Turkish immigrant compared with German children’s strengths and difficulties. Regression analyses revealed that child gender and family adversity were cross-culturally associated with SDQ scores whereas inconsistent parenting only affected German children’s externalizing behavior problems. Factors associated with Turkish immigrant and German children’s mental health problems are thus both cross-culturally comparable and culturally specific. More information is needed in order to identify individuals at highest risk to develop certain types of behavior problems and provide specific prevention strategies.