The Family and the School Context: Which is Influential On the Academic Outcomes of Immigrant and Native Latino Youth?
Date
2008-12
Authors
Adame, Alicia
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Abstract
Research revealed that Latino youth have relatively high drop-out rates and poor academic performance (Hirschman 2001). Despite these adversities, there is a significant amount of Latinos that succeed in school and earn college degrees. Academic resilience and success has been more prevalent among immigrant Latinos than their native counterparts (Kao 2004). The reason for this disparity in academic outcomes among the three different generations is due to Latino immigrant families valuing interdependence and providing a wide support network for their youth, which can buffer the negative effects of their living situation (Zhou 1997). However, as a child assimilates into the mainstream culture the family ties become loose and individualism is valued more within the family. Therefore, as Latinos assimilate, their peer networks and school communities become influential to their academic outcomes. Seeing as both the family and the school context are important factors in the outcomes of Latino adolescents, the purpose of this research study is to investigate how these factors positively influence the academic performance of immigrant Latino adolescents compared to their native counterparts. This generational research study will add to the existing research on the positive factors that affect the academic outcomes of Latino youth. The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (ADD health) survey was used to answer these proposed questions.
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Keywords
academic achievement, motivation in education, children, Mexican Americans, Hispanic Americans, assimilation, education
Citation
Adame, A. (2008). The family and the school context: Which is influential on the academic outcomes of immigrant and native Latino youth? (Unpublished thesis). Texas State University-San Marcos, San Marcos, Texas.