Raymond Buriel

The Relationship of Language Brokering to Academic Performance, Biculturalism, and Self-Efficacy among Latino Adolescents

Children who interpret for their immigrant parents are referred to as language brokers. The present study examines the relationship of language brokering to academic performance, biculturalism, academic self-efficacy, and social self-efficacy. The many adultlike experiences of children who broker on a regular basis suggest that their cognitive and socioemotional development may be accelerated relative to children of immigrant families who broker infrequently or not at all. Latino adolescents (n = 122) from immigrant families were participants in the study. Results showed that, as expected, language brokering was positively related to biculturalism, and in turn, both of these variables were positively related to academic performance. In addition, the strongest predictor of academic performance was academic self-efficacy. Results also indicated that, to some degree, language brokering is a gendered activity, with females reporting more brokering than males.

Mexican American Family Functioning and Acculturation: A Family Systems Perspective

This study examines the relationtship betweeni acculturation anid famtnily funictioninig in families of Mexican descent. Using a family s)stemns fraflmework, faiiii funictiotiiig is defined in terms of internal versus extrernalfameilv activitiies. Accultluratioln is defined by generational statu.s, language preferentcelproficienicy, aid letgtgh of-residence. Forty-five families were selected from Head Start programns aid placed ilto three groups-unacculturated, moderately acctulturated, and acctiltturated. Thte notherandfathlerof each famnily were interviewed and adminiistered a socio-demnographic questionnaire anid the Family Environment Scale (FES). Results gemierally support the stated hypolheses: As families of Mexicani descenti acculturate, they become increasingly involved with social systems outside the family while the basic in1terntal family system remains essenltially untchanged. These findings are discussed as they pettaini to diffrenest models of acculturationz and puiblic policy issues.

Language Brokering, Autonomy, Parent-Child Bonding, Biculturalism, and Depression A Study of Mexican American Adolescents From Immigrant Families

This study examines the relationship between language brokering, parent-child bonding, perceived autonomy, biculturalism, and depression for Mexican American adolescents. It was hypothesized that adolescent language brokers who reported a strong parent-child bond and high levels of psychological autonomy, privilege, and responsibility would also report lower levels of depression. Unlike previous research with language brokers, no gender differences were found in language brokering activity. For girls (n = 141) and boys (n = 105), language brokering for more people is positively related to depression. For girls, responsibility moderates the relationship between language brokering in different places and depression, that is, girls who language broker in more places, and also receive more responsibilities, report less depression. For boys, parent-child bonding and biculturalism are negatively related to depression. Results are discussed in the context of immigrant Latino family socialization.

Sociocultural Correlates of Achievement Among Three Generations of Mexican American High School Seniors

The present investigation examines the relationship of Spanish language background to achievement among first-, second-, and third-generation Mexican American high school seniors. The effects of students’ and mothers’ aspirations were also examined. The data used in this study were from the first phase of the High School and Beyond (Jones et al., 1982) study. Achievement measures included standardized tests of math, reading, and English vocabulary. Four Spanish language variables were also included. These were as follows: mother tongue, home language, oral proficiency in Spanish, and Spanish literacy. Socioeconomic background variables included both father’s and mother’s education and family income. Consistent with previous research, students’ aspirations showed the strongest positive relationship to achievement for all generational groups. Although Spanish language background showed practically no relationship to achievement for first- and second-generation students, the linguistic variables showed mixed effects for third-generation students. In general, Spanish language effects on achievement were minimal, thus arguing against the position that Spanish impedes the academic achievement of Hispanic students.

Cognitive Styles among Three Generations of Mexican American Children

It was hypothesized that the cognitive styles of Mexican American children would become increasingly more field independent from the first to the third generation. In addition, a decline in sex differences vas expected to follow a similar pattern. A comparison group of Anglo American children was also included in the study. Results were not in line with the original hypotheses: Anglo American children were the most field independent and showed the smallest sex difference followed, respectively, by second, first, and third generation Mexican American children. Results are discussed as the possible outcome of selective migration and community acculturation processes.

Mexican-American Disciplinary Practices and Attitudes Toward Child Maltreatment: A Comparison of Foreign-and Native-Born Mothers

The present study examined the disciplinary practices and attitudes toward child maltreatment in a sample of foreign-and native-born Mexican-American mothers. Responses to five hypothetical situations involving child misconduct were used to measure disciplinary practices, and responses to three vignettes involving violence against children were used to measure attitudes toward child maltreatment. Between-group differences showed that foreign-born mothers were more likely than native-born mothers to use the disciplinary practices of spanking and verbal reasoning. However, within-group analyses showed that for both groups of mothers prohibiting their child firom watching TVor playing with afriend was preferred over spanking as a disciplinary practice. There were only minor differences between both groups of mothers in their attitudes toward child maltreatment. In addition, spanking and attitudes toward child maltreatment were positively correlated for foreign-born mothers. Results were discussed in terms of the impact of acculturation, and suggestions for future research were offered.

Psychocultural Characteristics of College-Bound and Noncollege-Bound Chicanas

Summary The purpose of the present exploratory study was to determine if college-bound and noncollege-bound Chicanas differed on a number of psychocultural variables. The Ss were Chicana high school senior girls and included 25 college-bound and 30 noncollege-bound students. Discriminant analysis was used to compare the two groups of Ss on sex-role identity (masculinity and femininity), biculturalism, and family income. Results indicated that, with the exception of femininity, the psychocultural variables discriminated significantly between the two groups of Chicanas. The college-bound group was found to be more masculine and bicultural, and also had higher family incomes. Results were discussed in terms of (a) the relative importance of the psychocultural variables for differentiating college-bound and noncollege-bound Chicanas and (b) the possibility that masculinity and biculturalism may develop as a function of family income.

Stereotypes of Mexican Descent Persons Attitudes of Three Generations of Mexican Americans and Anglo-American Adolescents

Three generations of Mexican American adolescents and Anglo Americans rated persons of Mexican descent living in the United States in terms of both positive and negative stereotypes. In general, Anglo American subjects held significantly less favorable stereotypes of Mexican descent persons than any of the three Mexican American groups. However, a significant linear trend for both positive and negative group stereotypes indicated that with each successive generation (first through third), the stereotypes of Mexican Americans approached the less favorable image held by Anglo Americans. Results are discussed in terms of a two-dimensional model that includes the dual effects of Anglo American prejudice and the degree to which Mexican Americans retain an identification with their traditional culture.

Confounding effects of individualism in children's cooperation — Competition social motive measures

The exact nature of cooperation — competition differences among children has remained obscure because the effect of individualistic motivation has important but unanalyzed influence on the frequency of cooperative and competitive responding. In order to clarify the nature of cultural differences in cooperation — competition, a novel social motive game was developed that provides distinct cooperative, competitive, and individualist alternatives. The measure was administered to 120 fourth-through sixth-grade Anglo-American and Mexican-American children of lower- and upper-middle-income levels. Consistent with previous research, Mexican-American children were generally more cooperative than Anglo-American children. Contrary to previous conclusions, however, individualism, not competition, was the strongest social motive among children, and Anglo-American children were generally more individualistic but not generally more competitive than Mexican-American children. Culture findings challenge both the methods and the results of previous cooperation — competition studies.

Perceived Parental Practices and Prosocial Development

Summary The relation of cooperative, competitive, and individualistic behaviors to the Parent Practices Questionnaire measure of childrens reported parental socialization practices was assessed among 120 Anglo American and Mexican American lower and upper-middle economic fourth through sixth grade children. Consistent with previous research, Mexican American children were more cooperative than Anglo American children who were more often individualistic and competitive. Also consistent with past findings, lower economic class children perceived their parents as less supporting and more punishing than upper-middle economic class children. Inconsistent with existing developmental theories, however, the relation of perceived socialization practices to prosocial behavior was not consistent across economic classes, and among lower economic class children was related to perception of parents as more punishing and more supportive.