Is Integration Always most Adaptive? The Role of Cultural Identity in Academic Achievement and in Psychological Adaptation of Immigrant Students in Germany

Abstract

Immigrant adaptation research views identification with the mainstream context as particularly beneficial for sociocultural adaptation, including academic achievement, and identification with the ethnic context as particularly beneficial for psychological adaptation. A strong identification with both contexts is considered most beneficial for both outcomes (integration hypothesis). However, it is unclear whether the integration hypothesis applies in assimilative contexts, across different outcomes, and across different immigrant groups. This study investigates the association of cultural identity with several indicators of academic achievement and psychological adaptation in immigrant adolescents (N = 3894, 51% female, M = 16.24, SD = 0.71) in Germany. Analyses support the integration hypothesis for aspects of psychological adaptation but not for academic achievement. Moreover, for some outcomes, findings vary across immigrant groups from Turkey (n = 809), the former Soviet Union (n = 712), and heterogeneous other countries (n = 2373). The results indicate that the adaptive potential of identity integration is limited in assimilative contexts, such as Germany, and that it may vary across different outcomes and groups. As each identification is positively associated with at least one outcome, however, both identification dimensions seem to be important for the adaptation of immigrant adolescents.

Peer cultural socialisation: a resource for minority students’ cultural identity, life satisfaction, and school values

“…In contrast to previous research from Germany (e.g. Schotte, Stanat, and Edele 2017), mainstream identity was not more strongly related to school adjustment than heritage identity. In contrast to achievement or language skills, cultural minority youth may be less disadvantaged regarding subjective school values as an indicator of school adjustment, and have shown to exceed their mainstream peers in terms of academic goals (Feliciano and Lanuza 2015).…”

“…Nguyen and Benet-Martínez 2013), we expected that high levels of identification with the heritage culture and mainstream culture would both be positively related to life satisfaction and school values (H2a). However, in line with research from Germany, we also expected mainstream identity to be more strongly related to school values than heritage identity (H2b) (Schotte, Stanat, and Edele 2017;Hannover et al 2013;Schachner, van de Vijver, and Noack 2018).…”

“…A large body of acculturation research supports that a high identification with both cultures is related to favourable psychological and school adjustment of cultural minority youth (Nguyen and Benet-Martínez 2013;Makarova and Birman 2016). In contrast, in recent studies from Germany, only cultural minority youths' mainstream identity was associated with school achievement (Schotte, Stanat, and Edele 2017;Hannover et al 2013; Schachner, van de Vijver, and Noack 2018), whereas both heritage and mainstream identity were associated with psychological adjustment, including higher life satisfaction and reduced problem behaviour (Schotte, Stanat, and Edele 2017;Schachner, van de Vijver, and Noack 2018). Some authors have argued that the German school context might hold particularly high assimilative pressures, where students are expected to adapt to the mainstream culture while neglecting their heritage culture (Hannover et al 2013;Bender-Szymanski 2012).…”

“…heritage identity) 1 and with mainstream, national culture (i.e. mainstream identity; Schotte, Stanat, and Edele 2017;Horenczyk 2010). A considerable body of research has investigated the combination of both heritage and mainstream identity within a bicultural identity framework (e.g.…”

“…Some authors have argued that the German school context might hold particularly high assimilative pressures, where students are expected to adapt to the mainstream culture while neglecting their heritage culture (Hannover et al 2013;Bender-Szymanski 2012). Therefore, in an assimilative school context, emphasising mainstream identity might be more important for school success than heritage identity (Makarova and Birman 2016;Schotte, Stanat, and Edele 2017). An alternative explanation is that a more developed heritage identity may be indirectly associated with achievement through psychological adjustment (Schachner, van de Vijver, and Noack 2018).…”