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Acculturation and Cognitive Performance of Migrant Children in The Netherlands
Author(s) -
Vijver Fons J. R.,
HelmsLorenz Michelle,
Feltzer Max J. A.
Publication year - 1999
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 - 10.1080/002075999399936
Subject(s) - acculturation , psychology , cognition , developmental psychology , clinical psychology , sociology , psychiatry , anthropology , ethnic group
Acculturative strategies and cognitive acculturation were studied among 118 Dutch migrant children (age: 7–12 years). Both an exploratory factor analysis and a Linear Logistic Test Model analysis provided evidence for the bipolar unidimensionality of Berry's four acculturation strategies; integration constituted one pole and assimilation, separation, and marginalization the other. Integration was by far the most popular strategy. Cognitive performance was measured by the Snijders‐Oomen Nonverbal Intelligence Test, school report measures, and a computer‐assisted choice reaction‐time measure. A good fit was found for a structural model that postulated cognitive acculturation as the latent variable linking background measures (i.e. acculturation strategy, second language usage, age, and gender) to the cognitive measures. Relationships between background variables and cognitive performance were stronger in the first than in the second generation. Both older children and children who favour an integration strategy showed a higher degree of cognitive acculturation.