Open AccessAcculturative and Psychosocial Predictors of Academic-Related Outcomes among Cambodian American High School Students
Author(s) -
Khanh T. Dinh,
Traci L. Weinstein,
Su Yeong Kim,
Ivy K. Ho
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of southeast asian american education and advancement
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.173
H-Index - 2
ISSN - 2153-8999
DOI - 10.7771/2153-8999.1102
Subject(s) - acculturation , psychosocial , psychology , intervention (counseling) , clinical psychology , academic achievement , social psychology , developmental psychology , ethnic group , gerontology , medicine , sociology , psychiatry , anthropology
This study examined the acculturative and psychosocial predictors of academic-related outcomes among Cambodian American high school students from an urban school district in the state of Massachusetts. Student participants (N = 163) completed an anonymous survey that assessed demographic characteristics, acculturative experiences, intergenerational conflict, depression, and academic-related outcomes. The main results indicated that acculturative and psychosocial variables were significant predictors of academic-related outcomes. Specifically, students' Cambodian cultural orientation was positively associated with their beliefs about the utility of education and sense of school membership, while students' Anglo/White cultural orientation was positively associated with their grade point average, educational aspirations, and sense of school membership. Results also indicated that Cambodian cultural orientation was negatively associated with intergenerational conflict, which in turn was associated with depression. This study provides important information to developers of school-based and family-based prevention and intervention programs by highlighting the acculturative challenges and how academic success can be fostered for Cambodian American students.