Advancing Understanding of Acculturation for Adolescents of Asian Immigrants: Person-Oriented Analysis of Acculturation Strategy Among Korean American Youth

Abstract

Acculturation strategy, a significant predictor of immigrant adaptation, has been understudied with Asian Americans, in particular, Asian American youth. Using person-oriented latent profile analysis, this study identified acculturation strategies among Korean American early adolescents living in the Midwest. Two-hundred ninety one families were interviewed in 2007 that included 220 youth (mean age = 13, 47.7% female), along with 272 mothers and 164 fathers (N=656). They were re-interviewed in 2008 (N=588). The study found three distinct acculturation strategies: separation (11.8%, n=26), integrated bicultural (66.9%, n=150), and modest bicultural (21.3%, n=44). Integrated bicultural youth reported the strongest sense of ethnic identity and the most favorable characteristics, providing empirical support for the benefit of biculturalism. The findings further suggest that separation may not be as detrimental as previously thought, and modest bicultural—biculturalism that is not fully developed—may in fact be less desirable among Korean American youth.

Explicating Acculturation Strategies among Asian American Youth: Subtypes and Correlates across Filipino and Korean Americans

“…Adolescence may be especially fraught for young Asian Americans, the overwhelming majority of whom have foreign-born parents (Pew Research Center, 2017). Asian American adolescents form identities and make decisions under the dual pressures of acculturation (the adoption of the mainstream culture) and enculturation (the retention of the heritage culture) (Choi, Tan, Yasui & Hahm, 2016; Castillo et al, 2012; Garcia Coll et al, 1996). Acculturation and enculturation are further complicated by family process, defined by parenting styles, values, behaviors and parent-child relationships.…”

“…Acculturation and enculturation are further complicated by family process, defined by parenting styles, values, behaviors and parent-child relationships. Family process is influential on youth acculturation and enculturation (Choi et al, 2016; Kim & Hou, 2016; Umana-Taylor et al, 2013; Knight et al, 2011). Youth acculturation strategy, in turn, may determine how youth perceive and thereby interact with family process (Choi, Kim, Pekelnicky, Kim & Kim, 2017; Choi, He, & Harachi, 2008).…”

“…Other studies uphold the immigrant paradox, whereby positive adolescent outcomes diminish as assimilation into the host country increases (Takeuchi, Hong, Gile, & Alegria, 2007). Though rapid assimilation of immigrants may be seen as desirable by the mainstream culture (Vigor, 2008), the actual impact of assimilation on family process should not be presumed, particularly as studies show that correlates in adolescent outcomes may differ across disparate domains of acculturation and enculturation (Choi, Kim, Pekelnicky, et al, 2017; Choi et al, 2016). This study, although not testing the interplay of acculturation, family process and youth outcomes in mediational models, aims to enhance a general understanding by investigating bivariate associations among the variables, which can lay the foundation for future and more complex analyses.…”

“…In fact, when more statistically robust approaches, such as LPA, are used, multiple variants of Berry’s typology are uncovered. One such example is Choi et al (2016)’s study finding that Korean American middle schoolers mostly utilized an integrated bicultural strategy with a strong sense of ethnic identity, some adopted separation or “modestly bicultural” strategy but none used assimilation or marginalization , with no participants altogether disavowing heritage culture and ethnicity. Another example is Chia and Costigan (2006)’s finding that Chinese Canadian college students are identified with, in addition to Berry’s four typology, two additional subtypes of acculturation strategy the authors labeled as “integrated group with Chinese practices” and “marginalized group with Chinese practices.” These variations are not unexpected, given the subgroup variability such as in sociopolitical and historical context of immigration, and traditional values and behaviors of heritage culture espoused by different Asian American subgroups.…”

“…This finding was later affirmed with Asian American populations (Choi et al, 2018). In the present study, three distinct dimensions of cultural orientation are used in generating acculturation strategies: language competency, strength of identity, and behavioral cultural participation within host culture versus heritage culture (Choi et al, 2016; Ward, 2001). These dimensions are especially salient to Asian Americans, who often exhibit limited heritage language proficiency while varying in their espousal of strong ethnic identity or behavioral cultural participation (Tsai, Chentsova-Dutton, & Wong, 2002).…”