The influence of cultural identity and perceived barriers on college preparation and aspirations of Latino youth in emerging immigrant communities.

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Laura McLaughlin Gonzalez, Associate Professor (Creator)
Nadia Huq (Creator)
Gabriela L. Stein, Associate Professor (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/

Abstract: Emerging immigrant communities differ from established communities in terms of needs and available resources. Students in these emerging communities may still be acculturating to new contexts and establishing their ethnic identities, which may impact their ability to engage in planning for the future. The current study examines what impact these cultural identity variables, in addition to perceptions of barriers to college entrance, would have on educational aspirations and college-going self-efficacy beliefs of Latino adolescents. Findings from 171 middle- and high school Latino students from immigrant families indicated that public ethnic regard and resilience to barriers were positively associated with college-going self-efficacy, and Anglo orientation had a trend-level effect, while perceived barriers were negatively related to that outcome. Private ethnic regard and person-based barriers were negatively associated with educational aspirations. Generation status, gender, mother’s education, and age were control variables. Implications for research and practice are provided, focusing on perceived barriers and self-efficacy beliefs.

Additional Information

Publication
Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 35 (1) 103-120
Language: English
Date: 2013
Keywords
latino immigrants, cultural identity, barriers to education, college, self-efficacy, educational aspirations, immigrant communities

Email this document to