NCJ Number
226607
Journal
Journal of Youth and Adolescence Volume: 38 Issue: 4 Dated: April 2009 Pages: 572-586
Date Published
April 2009
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This study examined how English and heritage language proficiency might be associated with youth academic and emotional adjustment among Chinese-American families.
Abstract
Findings show that youth English language proficiency was related to better youth academic outcomes, including: higher reading and math achievement scores, and higher grade point averages (GPAs). The association between English language proficiency and reading achievement was particularly strong for foreign-born youth for whom the hurdle of learning a new language might have been necessary for achieving better reading scores. These findings are inconsistent with the notion that increasing acculturation is accompanied by declines in academic achievement. Previous studies have shown that first generation youth tend to outperform second and third generation youth in school achievement. It may be that while linguistic acculturation may contribute to greater academic competence, other characteristics associated with later generational status, like changes in cultural values, family obligations and expectations, and youth motivation may undermine academic achievement. Further, although adolescent English proficiency was related to better youth academic outcomes, it was unrelated to adolescent depressive symptoms. Youth who achieved higher reading and math scores and higher GPAs also tended to have mothers who were highly proficient in English. Findings suggest that it may be important for children from immigrant families to not only become proficient in English, but also to retain their heritage language. Data were collected from 444 Chinese-American families recruited from 7 middle schools in Northern California. Table, figures, and references