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Acculturation and adaptation of immigrant adolescents in Greek urban schools
Author(s) -
MottiStefanidi Frosso,
Pavlopoulos Vassilis,
Obradović Jelena,
Masten Ann S.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
international journal of psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.75
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 1464-066X
pISSN - 0020-7594
DOI - 10.1080/00207590701804412
Subject(s) - acculturation , immigration , ethnic group , psychology , diaspora , psychological adaptation , social psychology , developmental psychology , gender studies , sociology , political science , anthropology , law
The purpose of this study was to examine the acculturation, psychological well‐being, and school adjustment of Pontian adolescents from the former Soviet Union (FSU‐Pontians), who are immigrants of the diaspora living in Greece, compared with an immigrant group from Albania and native Greek classmates. The sample included 165 FSU‐Pontian immigrants, 272 immigrants from Albania, and their 525 Greek classmates (mean age = 13.7 years). School adjustment data were obtained using multiple methods and informants. Students also reported their subjective well‐being and acculturation via multiple measures. Findings indicated that FSU‐Pontian adolescents, although they are Greek citizens, had a stronger ethnic and a lower host‐national orientation than did Albanian students. Both immigrant groups experienced similar difficulties in school adjustment. Involvement in Greek culture was a salient predictor of school adjustment, while involvement in one's ethnic culture was related to subjective well‐being. Findings suggest that the acculturation expectations of host country members may be related to immigrants' acculturation orientations.