Investigating the Immigrant Paradox and Latino Adolescents' Academic Attitudes

Abstract

This study investigates the immigrant paradox, whereby early generation immigrant youth exhibit more positive developmental outcomes than their later generation peers. Among our sample of Latino 9th graders (n 212) residing in impoverished, urban cities, we examine whether the immigrant paradox exists with regard to Latino adolescents’ educational values and school effort and whether cultural values serve as a protective factor for Latino youth. Our findings provide evidence for the immigrant paradox with regard to educational values in both our full sample as well as the Dominican American subsample and highlight the importance of drawing greater distinctions within cohorts of second-generation Latino youth. Further, greater endorsement of traditional cultural values, such as familismo and family obligations, were significantly related to adolescents’ educational values and school effort. Hence, this study underscores the importance of family processes and cultural values in motivating children of immigrants to succeed academically.