Acculturation Outcomes Research Articles

Does Acculturation Matter?: Food Insecurity and Child Problem Behavior Among Low-Income, Working Hispanic Households

Recent literature has noted that in some cases, less acculturation may be protective against adverse outcomes. This study sought to clarify the relationships between acculturation, food insecurity, and child outcomes. A sample of 339 low-income participants, comprised of non-Hispanic Whites ( n = 171), English-speaking Hispanics ( n = 89), and Spanish-speaking Hispanics ( n = 79) were surveyed on food security and parental reports of child behavior problems. Results showed that Spanish-speaking Hispanics were at a social and economic disadvantage in comparison to non-Hispanic Whites and to English-speaking Hispanics. Spanish-speaking Hispanics reported significantly more concern and the least satisfaction with their children’s physical health and had the highest rates of food insecurity. In contrast, on parental reports of child behavior, non-Hispanic Whites were significantly more likely to report problem behavior than either Hispanic group. Overall, the findings do not support the protective role of lower acculturation for Hispanic households. Implications of these findings in light of current research are discussed.

Conceptual Parameters of Acculturation Within the Asian and Pacific Islander American Populations: Applications for Nursing Practice and Research

Asian and Pacific Islander Americans (A&PIAs) are experiencing health inequities. For example, A&PIA is the only racial/ethnic group in America to experience cancer as their leading cause of death. Several studies within the A&PIA population have pointed to acculturation as a significant variable to explain their health and health-seeking behaviors. Acculturation is a key construct in understanding the health of the A&PIA population. The purpose of this concept analysis is to provide a current conceptual understanding of the relationship between acculturation and health, especially within the A&PIA populations, which will serve as a pragmatic guideline for nursing practice and research. Understanding the contemporary issues surrounding the conceptual application of acculturation will aid in the development of appropriate programs to reduce health inequities. Acculturation was explored using the Morse method of concept analysis. An iterative historical and contemporary literature review across the disciplines of anthropology, sociology, psychology, medicine, and nursing was completed. Analytical questions asked of the resultant data provided the theoretical definition, antecedents, key attributes, outcomes, and implications. The concept analysis resulted in a new theoretical definition that includes multidimensional concepts of acculturation. Dilemmas in the measurement of key attributes of acculturation include unidirectional and bidirectional analysis, psychometric issues, and the appropriateness of proxy measurements. Outcomes of acculturation on health can be positive or negative and depend on an individual's or group's ability to navigate freely with necessary supports. Results of the conceptual analysis resulted in recommendations for nursing practice and future acculturation research. While debate continues about the appropriate use and definition of acculturation, researchers agree that it is an important construct in understanding the health of migrating individuals and groups. Currently there is no testable framework that delineates the role of acculturation in health. Further research is indicated to clarify the relationship between acculturation and health.

Recreational sport participation and migrants' acculturation

The current research examines whether migrants' recreational sport participation (RSP) and recreational sport function (RSF) can be considered as indicators of assimilation or integration as outcomes of acculturation. Both RSP and RSF are considered along with the traditional indicators of language, food preference, media use and ethnic identity. A multiattribute survey instrument was distributed to 179 migrants from 12 Asian countries, living in Southeast Queensland. Based on confirmatory factor analysis and multiple linear regression analysis, the paper suggests that RSF should be included as an indicator of migrants' assimilation along with the traditional indicators. Recommendations for both public and private sectors are provided, extending the Australian Government's multiculturalism policies to the migrants' recreational sports arena. Directions for future research are also provided.

Understanding Employee-Level Dynamics within the Merger and Acquisition Process

Given the challenge companies face in combining organisations in the merger and acquisition (M&A) process, this article presents a model that explores the potential determinants of success in the company blending (acculturation) process. The model examines the effect of employee-level factors and perceptions of managerial behaviours during the M&A process. Utilising data from 254 employees that recently experienced an M&A, the authors tested for managerial guided, direct and indirect impacts on employee-level dynamics (job satisfaction and organisational citizenship behaviours) which are believed to affect the successful co-mingling of two previously independent organisations. The authors highlight the key role that employee identification with the new consolidated organisation plays, most notably organisational citizenship. Lastly, attention is drawn to the importance of management's perceived competence and procedural justice toward employee-level factors. The article concludes with specific managerial suggestions for improving M&A acculturation outcomes.

Psychological Theories of Immigration

Psychology provides a theoretical perspective for the analysis of human behavior and the social environment resulting from immigration. Acculturation outcomes have been of primary interest within the field of psychology as they connect to immigrant well-being. This review expands the focus from acculturation outcomes to the frameworks of acculturative stress, cultural learning, attachment theory, and ethnic identity to further explore the individual and social factors impacting immigrant psychological well-being. A review of each framework's interpretation for the varied immigrant adaptation responses is included. In addition, the coping strategies or mediating factors presented by each framework in connection to immigrant adaptation within a new environment are discussed. This review concludes with suggestions for psychological frameworks to expand their research in the immigrant experience to further contribute to the knowledge base of human behavior and the social environment.

Forging an identity as a linguistic minority: Intra- and intergroup aspects of language, communication and identity in Western Canada

Abstract Language has often been understood as the carrier of culture [ Chiu, C. H., & Chen, J. (2004). Symbols and interactions: Application of the CCC model to culture, language, and social identity. In S. H. Ng, C. N. Candlin, & C. H. Chui (Eds.), Language matters: Communication , culture , and identity (pp. 155–182). Hong Kong: City University of Hong Kong Press ; Fishman, J. A. (1977). Language and ethnicity. In H. Giles (Ed.), Language , ethnicity and intergroup relations (pp. 15–57). London: Academic Press]. Contact with other cultural groups, however, effects many changes to the social context and linguistic repertoire of minority group members (e.g. [Phinney, J. S. (2003). Ethnic identity and acculturation. In K. M. Chun, P. B. Organista, & G. Marin (Eds.), Acculturation: Advances in theory , measurement , and applied research (pp. 63–81). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association]). While there is a link between language and culture, there is still a lack of firm understanding regarding the dynamics that surround the relationship between language, group interactions, and acculturative outcomes. The goal of this study is, therefore, to further delve into the components of social interactions and communication to map out these processes. A total of 218 Francophone students enrolled in French schools in Saskatchewan completed a questionnaire assessing their psychological adjustment, ethnic identity, social support, communication networks, intergroup contact, and linguistic confidence. The results indicated that social interactions with both the in- and outgroup were important for identity maintenance, adoption, and adjustment. The relevance of communication networks and social support in acculturative situations is discussed.

Perceived discrimination and acculturation among Iranian refugees in the Netherlands

The relations between perceived discrimination, perceived acceptance of immigrants, acculturation orientations, and acculturation outcomes (psychological and sociocultural adjustment) were investigated in a sample of 232 Iranian refugees in the Netherlands. A good fit was found for a path model with perceived discrimination and perceived acceptance as correlated antecedent variables, acculturation orientations as intervening conditions, and measures of psychological and sociocultural adjustment as outcome variables. Perceived discrimination was the most salient variable in the model and showed significant associations with all outcome measures. Acculturation orientations (partially) mediated the relations between antecedent variables and outcomes. Gender differences were found. Women reported significantly less discrimination, more positive and fewer negative acculturation outcomes than did men. It is concluded that despite the high levels of sociocultural adjustment of Iranian refugees in the Netherlands, perceived discrimination plays an essential role in their acculturation.

Parental Acculturation, Parental Involvement, Intergenerational Relationship and Adolescent Outcomes in Immigrant Filipino American Families

ABSTRACT The study examined the contribution of parental acculturation, parental involvement, and intergenerational relationship to well-being in Filipino American adolescents. Informed by acculturation, ecological, and social capital theories, we hypothesized that immigrant Filipino parents' acculturation would increase their school, home-educational, and social involvement which, in turn, would enhance the family relationship and adolescent outcomes. Using data from the Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Study (CILS), 365 Filipino American adolescents completed surveys and their immigrant parents participated in interviews. Path analysis results showed parental acculturation enhanced their school, home-educational and social involvement. Furthermore, parental home-educational and social involvement enhanced the quality of the intergenerational relationship, which, in turn, increased the adolescents' self-esteem and reduced their depressive symptom level. Implications are discussed.

Recherche et classification d’indicateurs d’acculturation à partir du contexte francophone

Our research aims at finding original indicators of the acculturation process for French-speaking people, in order to contribute to deepen and to make operational this concept in the French-speaking context. To accomplish this, texts written in French were selected from the Internet and were analyzed using Alceste. A downward, hierarchical analysis of data allowed us to establish three classes of indicators which predicted outcomes of health, work, and acculturation in general. This multifaceted structure brought together the concerns of researchers with respect to immigrants’ strategies for identity formation and how well they adapted to everyday life, notably in France. We can consider, based on psycholexical theory, that these indicators reflect representations and mental processes relating to the acculturation process in the French-speaking world.

The role of demographic variables and acculturation attitudes in predicting sociocultural and psychological adaptation in Moroccans in the Netherlands

The goals of the present study were two-fold: (i) to test the independence of the attitudes of second-generation migrants toward their culture of origin and toward the culture of the host society; and (ii) to test a path model in which these acculturation attitudes moderate and/or mediate the relationship between demographic factors (age, gender, occupation, education, and length of stay) and acculturation outcomes (including psychological adjustment, as measured by mental health and sociocultural acculturation as measured by school success, work success). Both hypotheses were to a large extent confirmed in a group of 155 second-generation Moroccans in the Netherlands. The results suggest that the two underlying dimensions of acculturation attitudes were largely independent across migrants and slightly negatively related within migrants; furthermore, there were some indications that ethnic culture was to some extent more liked in the personal domain and the host culture more in the public domain. Acculturation attitudes mediated the relationship between demographic variables and sociocultural adaptation. In turn, sociocultural adaptation mediated the relationship between acculturation attitudes and psychological adaptation. The results showed also that sociocultural and psychological adaptation had their own predictors; psychological adaptation was directly predicted by background variables while sociocultural adaptation was directly predicted by acculturation attitudes.

A Tale of Two Cities: Replication of a Study on the Acculturation and Adaptation of Immigrant Adolescents From the Former Soviet Union in a Different Community Context

While a great deal of research has been conducted to understand acculturation and its relationship to adaptation in the new country, surprisingly little attention has been paid to the ways in which the characteristics of the local community impact these processes. The present study addresses this gap in the literature by exploring the potential role of community differences in the acculturation and adaptation processes of 269 refugee and immigrant adolescents from the former Soviet Union who resettled in two different community contexts. Specifically, a prior study on acculturation and adjustment among high school students (D. Birman, E. J. Trickett, & A. Vinokurov, 2002) was replicated with the same émigré population in a contrasting community within the same state. The contrast between these communities allowed us to test hypotheses emerging from an ecological perspective concerning (1) patterns of acculturation, (2) levels of discrimination and its effect on acculturative outcomes, and (3) community differences in the relationship between acculturation and outcomes. In addition to the focus on community differences, the study also employs a multidimensional measure of acculturation and assesses acculturation to both American and Russian culture. Furthermore, adaptation is assessed across different life domains; including peer relationships, family relationships, school adaptation, and psychological adaptation. Findings support the general ecological perspective, suggesting the importance of studying acculturation and adaptation as a reflexive process in which culture and context are very much intertwined.

Structure and function of the perceived acculturation context of young Moroccans in the Netherlands

The goals of this research were twofold: (1) to explore the structure of the perceived acculturation context in a group of 155 Moroccan adolescents and young adults living in the Netherlands, and (2) to examine to what extent this structure can predict quality of relationships, success, and mental health. The perceived acculturation context turned out to be multidimensional and its dimensions independent. The perceived mainstream context consisted of a tolerance factor and an integration factor while the perceived minority context consisted of a permissiveness to adjust factor and an ethnic vitality factor. A path model in which both the perceived mainstream and minority contexts predicted acculturation outcomes showed a good fit. The effects flowed from context to relationships to success to acculturative stress, were both direct and indirect, and showed the expected signs. Both perceived mainstream context and perceived minority context were more or less equally, though distinctly, important. While the mainstream context was crucial for work success, the minority context remained especially important in leading to school success and good mental health. A good fit was found for a model in which sociocultural adaptation preceded psychological adaptation and within the sociocultural component of adaptation, quality of relationships preceded school success, which, in turn, preceded work success.

The Settlement Experiences Of Refugees From The Former Yugoslavia

In the 1990s many mixed marriage refugees from what was Yugoslavia settled in Perth, Australia. A mixed marriage is one where the parties have different ethnicities. Using multiple‐case, conversational interviews, the experiences of 12 of these refugees were explored. The processes of acculturation and adaptation, the development of social support networks and community, and their ethnic identity and ethnicity, were discussed and analysed within both the sociopolitical context of the conflict in what was Yugoslavia, and their subsequent migration. The initial settlement programmes and supports to the refugees and provided by Australia's government and community groups were also analysed. The results illustrated the diversity of experiences of the participants as well as shared experiences resulting from their being in a mixed marriage. In summary, the results suggest that settlement is stressful for the refugees, that community‐based settlement programmes provide more positive settlement experiences than government programmes, and that people in mixed marriages experience particular stresses related to the political context in the former Yugoslavia, including a history of alienation and persecution. Theoretically the results indicate that the participants are moving towards an acculturation outcome of biculturalism. The complex nature of their ethnic identity and ethnicity is also discussed.

Acculturation as a Developmental Pathway

This chapter looks at some developmental issues in the acculturation of children and adolescents with immigrant backgrounds. In addition to raising critical questions about this line of research, the chapter examines some underlying assumptions and their implications for the study of acculturation in younger people. It is argued that ambiguities in the final outcome of acculturation and differences in acculturation experiences of adults and children make it necessary to bring developmental perspectives closer into this line of research among children and adolescents in immigrant families. Against this background a modified developmental contextual model is suggested as an alternate perspective to the understanding of the acculturation of children and adolescents.

Researching managerial values: a cross-cultural comparison

This study focuses on the outcome of acculturation on the personal value system of managers. Specific focus is placed on Chinese managers across different countries, taking into consideration the moderating influence of cultural heritage and national environment. The influence of culture is controlled by taking sampled Chinese managers across three countries: the Peoples' Republic of China (PRC), the United States of America (USA), and Singapore. Following the approach of past studies, our measures of Chinese personal value systems include integration, Confucian work dynamism, human-heartedness, and moral discipline. Results from a mail survey of 462 Chinese managers indicated significant differences among the managers in the three nations in all the measures. In particular, Singaporean Chinese managers displayed most dissimilar values with their PRC counterparts, while showing more common values with the American Chinese managers. The findings support the cultural convergence theory, which stipulates that through imperatives of industrialization and modernization, personal value systems of managers are likely to become increasingly similar.

Acculturation and perinatal health outcomes among rural women of Mexican descent

Acculturation and perinatal health outcomes among rural women of Mexican descent

Acculturation and Inter-Ethnic Consumer Perceptions: Can You Feel What We Feel?

Acculturation and ethnicity are some of the concepts that are often used by researchers to explain consumption experiences of ethnic minority consumers. The paper attempts to add a new dimension to the existing literature dealing with acculturation and ethnicity by exploring some of the feelings that are associated with one's sense of belonging to a group. The paper argues that the ethnic minority consumers experience multiple states of being which inform their interactions with their own ethnic group as well as the host society. The paper argues that there is no single ever-lasting outcome of acculturation. The paper discusses the implications of multiple states of being for marketing. The paper is based on an ethnographic study of forty-nine ethnic minority consumers in Bradford, UK.