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This study explores the bidirectional and interactional process of acculturation from the perspectives of immigrants and receiving community members (RCMs). Our aim was to understand the experiences and interactions of different ethno-cultural groups and their impact on the functioning and dynamics of multicultural communities. We conducted a cross-national, cross-cultural study of acculturation processes, using interviews collected across two countries (Italy: urban regions of Torino and Lecce; U.S.: Baltimore/Washington corridor) and three distinct groups of immigrants-Moroccans and Albanians in Italy and Latin Americans in the United States-and RCMs in Italy and the United States. Findings show that acculturation is a complex, situated, and dynamic process, and is generally conceived as an unbalanced and individual process of accommodation, which expects the immigrant alone to adapt to the new context. The boundaries among traditionally explored acculturation strategies were blurred and while integration was the most frequently discussed strategy, it often referenced a "soft" assimilation, limited mostly to public domains. Some differences emerged between ethnic groups and generation of immigration as well as among RCMs who differed by level of contact with immigrants. The need for more flexible models and for a critical perspective on acculturation is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record

In light of mixed findings regarding the valence of outcomes associated with acculturation gaps in mixed-generation immigrant families, this research adopted a qualitative methodology to explore the rich complexity of acculturation gaps and their navigation. Through multiple individual, dyadic, and family semistructured interviews with 2 mixed-generation Salvadoran immigrant families living in the United States, this study explored the ways in which families (a) described and understood their acculturation gaps, (b) determined whether gaps were benign, potentially problematic, or useful for the family, and (c) navigated gaps depending on their determined valence. The individual and family narratives were analyzed through constructivist grounded theory, guided by the theories of acculturation gap-distress (Lau et al., 2005;Portes & Rumbaut, 1996) and family resilience (Walsh, 2003). This research revealed that acculturation gaps can exist among all family members and that although families described gaps in terms of differences in overt behavioral practices, only those discrepant practices that were related to underlying value or identification differences were considered potentially problematic. The families were seen to use their belief systems, organizational patterns, communication and problem-solving strategies, and methods of escape to effectively navigate these gaps in 18 diverse ways depending upon the gaps' valences. This study suggests that (a) a family resilience model can be applied to the study of acculturation gaps, (b) expansion of such model as applied to acculturation gaps may be indicated, and (c) such model may provide insight into why some families with acculturation gaps experience negative outcomes whereas others flourish.

The purpose of this study was to identify patterns of relationships connecting sense of community (SOC) and community resilience with psychological wellbeing, via the mediation of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) impacts on life domains. Survey data were collected from an international sample of adults (n = 824) during the COVID‐19 outbreak (June–September 2020). Using a structural equation model, we tested a mediation model to identify the associations between SOC and community resilience with the perceived impacts of the emergency situation and with psychological wellbeing. Results revealed that SOC mitigated the impacts of COVID‐19 on multiple life domains, and it was also positively associated with wellbeing. Community resilience was correlated with SOC and wellbeing but showed no significant relationship with COVID‐19 impacts. The findings support that SOC has a protective function and can contribute to mitigating the impacts of difficult life situations. SOC can also be leveraged as an intervention aimed at protecting the wellbeing of people and communities, particularly in times of crisiss

Latinx immigrants regularly navigate adversity and oppression through resilience and empowerment; however, little research has sought to delineate when, how, and why they may engage in either process. Through the Transtheoretical Model of Empowerment and Resilience, this paper examines how Latinx immigrants living in distinct U.S. contexts interact with their communities. Seventy-three Latinx immigrants (ages 18 to 70, M = 40.85, SD = 13.65) participated in twelve focus groups in Albuquerque, NM; Maricopa County, AZ; Baltimore, MD; and Richmond, VA. Participants had lived in the U.S. for less than one year to 39 years (M = 14.19, SD = 8.72) and had varying immigration statuses. Analyses revealed that empowerment and resilience goals diverged by individuals' beliefs in the degree to which external change was vital, possible, and theirs to attempt. Beliefs coincided with the fundamental risk posed, based on the interaction of a context's conditions with an individual's characteristics and sense of community. Results indicate that while resilience is important to navigate risky settings, it may uphold oppressive power structures because it is consistent with the status quo. Interventions to spur external change should involve empowering processes, including facilitating gains in relative privilege and fostering sense of community.