Youth Development in a Multicultural World: Antecedents and Consequents of Biculturalism

Session Type: Paper Symposium

Abstract

Given the growing ethnic, racial, and cultural diversification of the U.S. (Census Bureau, 2018) and many other countries (United Nations, 2017), research on biculturalism ‒ the ability to internalize, integrate, and function successfully within at least two cultural systems ‒ is timely and significant. Although biculturalism scholarship has been increasing in recent decades and has consistently highlighted the positive consequences of biculturalism (Nguyen & Benet-Martinez, 2013), little is known about factors contributing to biculturalism development (Safa et al., 2020); further, longitudinal research exploring how biculturalism informs youth psychosocial functioning has been limited (Schwartz et al., 2019).
This symposium brings together scholars investigating antecedents and consequents of biculturalism development. Collectively, we illustrate ways in which biculturalism evolves in multiple ways (e.g., integrated vs. compartmentalized), is shaped by contextual factors (e.g., relationships, transitions), and is uniquely associated with different indicators of youth development. Paper 1 elucidates processes that may facilitate bicultural identity integration by examining youth and young adults in intercultural relationships across three studies (individuals and couples). Paper 2 focuses on the dynamic nature of biculturalism, investigating how youth’s bicultural identity integration informs their daily experiences of bicultural stress and depressive symptoms. Paper 3 examines how forces of social stratification shape youth bicultural competence development spanning their high school to college adaptation and how biculturalism development prospectively informs their adjustment. The discussant will summarize the overall contributions, the significance of the topic, and will integrate presenters’ research into the current state of biculturalism scholarship with recommendations for future work.

Sub Unit

• Race, Ethnicity, Culture, Context

Chair

• M. Dalal Safa, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Discussant

• Amy Kerivan Marks, Wellesley College

Individual Presentations

• Intercultural Romantic and Roommate Relationships: Self-Expansion and Cultural Exposure Promote Identity Integration - Presenting Author: Alexandria L. West, Duke University; Non-Presenting Author: Amy Muise, York University; Non-Presenting Author: Sarah Elizabeth Gaither, Duke Univeristy

• Bicultural Identity and its Impact on Daily Cultural Stress and Symptoms of Depression among Hispanic Youth - Presenting Author: Alan Meca, University of Texas at San Antonio; Non-Presenting Author: Julie Rodil, Old Dominion University; Non-Presenting Author: Brittani Wyskocil Garcia, Old Dominion University; Non-Presenting Author: Eneyda Nunez-Valencia, Old Dominion University; Non-Presenting Author: Ágnes Szabó, Victoria University of Wellington; Non-Presenting Author: Seth Schwartz, University of Miami; Non-Presenting Author: Colleen Ward, Victoria University of Wellington

• Bicultural Competence, Mental Health, and Substance Use Across Youth Adaptation from High School to College - Presenting Author: Michaela Gusman, Arizona State University; Non-Presenting Author: M. Dalal Safa, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Non-Presenting Author: Leah D Doane, Arizona State University