Bicultural Competence and Academic and Psychosocial Functioning Among Latinx Early Adolescents: Examining the Moderating Role of Gender

Abstract

Bicultural competence, the ability to navigate and alternate between two cultures, is an important developmental competency for Latinx youth. Empirical research has suggested that bicultural competence is associated with positive academic and psychosocial functioning, including higher academic achievement and fewer internalizing and externalizing symptoms. However, little research has examined how distinct dimensions of bicultural competence related to these indices. The current study examined how bicultural comfort and facility related to academic (self-efficacy and grades) and psychosocial (depressive symptoms and risky behaviors) functioning and how those relations varied by gender among Latinx early adolescents ( N = 206, M age = 12.39, SD = 0.15). Results suggested that higher bicultural facility was related to higher academic self-efficacy and better grades for boys and girls, whereas higher bicultural comfort was related to fewer depressive symptoms and risky behaviors for boys only. These findings indicate that bicultural competence dimensions may benefit Latinx early adolescents differentially.