Entre dos mundos: How environmental systems influence acculturation and bicultural identity development in Mexican adolescents

In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 12 Mexican adolescents and 14 of their parents who had immigrated to North Carolina from southwestern Mexico within the past seven years. Interviews were conducted to examine: (a) the process these individuals went through to adapt to life in the United States, and (b) the effect of environmental influences (e.g., family, school, work, church, friends, and peers) on both cultural adaptation and bicultural identity development. These interviews were coded and analyzed.;After immigration, parents had less time to spend with their children because of demanding new jobs and the financial necessity that prompted mothers into the work force. This decrease in family time together increased adolescents' feelings of loneliness and isolation. In response to perceived environmental threats, Mexican parents became more authoritarian---a strategy that precipitated parent-adolescent conflict. These conflicts were not driven by acculturation gaps. Acculturation gaps served protective functions as acculturating adolescents helped their parents navigate within the new cultural system.;Assimilation was prompted by two powerful mechanisms, monolingualism and discrimination. Monolingualism directed Mexican adolescents and their parents to learn English in order to fit into and advance in school and work. Discrimination enforced conformity with U.S. norms, appearance, and behaviors. Monolingualism and discrimination contributed to female Mexican adolescents and parents feeling anxious, fearful, isolated, and depressed. Male Mexican adolescents felt isolated and fearful as well, but they also grew angry and were ready to physically defend themselves. Mexican families found a refuge from the stress of monolingualism and discrimination in their church. Religious faith was used to handle daily assimilation stress and discrimination.;Mexican parents and adolescents were acculturating while trying to resist assimilation pressures. They maintained strong Mexican identities that were preserved by practicing Mexican customs, values, and traditions in their homes and churches. Meeting U.S. cultural and linguistic demands at work and in school placed Mexican parents and adolescents between the two cultural systems. This prompted adolescents and parents to integrate some U.S. customs, language, and social behaviors into their daily lives, increasing bilingualism and biculturalism.