Acculturation Timing among Newcomer and more Experienced Immigrant Youth

The Role of Language Use in Ethnic Friendship Homophily

authored by

Peter F. Titzmann, Lara Aumann, Richard M. Lee

Abstract

The usage of the new language is a crucial aspect in immigrant youth adaptation. However, despite substantial inter- and intraindividual variability and dynamic changes, language usage has been studied primarily with a focus on static interindividual differences. This study utilized a recently introduced Temporal Model of Acculturative Change to test associations between language acquisition and friendship homophily. More specifically, three concepts were tested: pace (individual rate of change), relative timing (the deviation from peers with similar length of residence), and transition timing (preparedness for the relocation). Data comprised a three-wave-longitudinal sample of 820 ethnic German adolescents from Eastern European States who immigrated to Germany (Mage = 16.1, 57% girls). Results revealed, particularly among recent immigrant adolescents, that transition timing predicted earlier relative acculturation timing in language usage and that early relative timing in language usage predicted levels and change rates in friendship homophily (over and above acculturation pace and the actual level of language usage). Findings highlight the need to better understand the dynamics in acculturation processes of immigrant youth.

Organisation(s)

Institute of Psychology

External Organisation(s)

University of Minnesota

Type

Article

Journal

Journal of youth and adolescence

Volume

52

Pages

2357-2369

No. of pages

13

ISSN

0047-2891

Publication date

11.2023

Publication status

Published

Peer reviewed

Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Social Psychology, Education, Developmental and Educational Psychology, Social Sciences (miscellaneous)

Electronic version(s)

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-023-01830-6 (Access: Open)