Shanting Chen1, Yang Hou2, Aprile Benner3, Su Yeong Kim4. 1. Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, 108 East Dean Keeton Street, Stop A2702, Austin, TX, 78712, USA. Electronic address: chen3640@utexas.edu. 2. Department of Family Sciences, University of Kentucky, USA. Electronic address: houyang223@gmail.com. 3. Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, USA. Electronic address: abenner@prc.utexas.edu. 4. Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, USA. Electronic address: sykim@prc.utexas.edu.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Discrimination is detrimental for the development of ethnic minority adolescents' academic competence. To combat the negative effects of discrimination and promote academic success, it is important to understand the mechanisms underlying the association between discrimination and academic competence. Guided by the integrative model of ethnic minority children's development and the adapting cultural systems framework, this study examined whether a culture-specific factor, language brokering efficacy, mediated the relation between adolescents' perceived discrimination and their academic competence. METHOD: Data were drawn form a two-wave longitudinal study of 604 Mexican American adolescent language brokers residing in and around a metropolitan city in central Texas, USA (54% female; Mage = 12.5; SD = 1.0; 75% born in the U.S.). Path analyses were conducted to answer the research questions. RESULTS: The study revealed that the link between discrimination and academic competence was mediated by language brokering efficacy when translating for fathers and mothers, although the path from language brokering efficacy to academic competence was stronger when brokering for mothers. CONCLUSIONS: The results highlight the importance of incorporating ethnic minority children's adapting cultural experiences in linking the contextual influence with their developmental competence. Implications for interventions aiming to reduce the negative impacts of discrimination are also discussed. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
INTRODUCTION: Discrimination is detrimental for the development of ethnic minority adolescents' academic competence. To combat the negative effects of discrimination and promote academic success, it is important to understand the mechanisms underlying the association between discrimination and academic competence. Guided by the integrative model of ethnic minority children's development and the adapting cultural systems framework, this study examined whether a culture-specific factor, language brokering efficacy, mediated the relation between adolescents' perceived discrimination and their academic competence. METHOD: Data were drawn form a two-wave longitudinal study of 604 Mexican American adolescent language brokers residing in and around a metropolitan city in central Texas, USA (54% female; Mage = 12.5; SD = 1.0; 75% born in the U.S.). Path analyses were conducted to answer the research questions. RESULTS: The study revealed that the link between discrimination and academic competence was mediated by language brokering efficacy when translating for fathers and mothers, although the path from language brokering efficacy to academic competence was stronger when brokering for mothers. CONCLUSIONS: The results highlight the importance of incorporating ethnic minority children's adapting cultural experiences in linking the contextual influence with their developmental competence. Implications for interventions aiming to reduce the negative impacts of discrimination are also discussed. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Entities:
Keywords:
Academic competence; Discrimination; Language brokering; Mexican American
Authors: Leticia Arellano-Morales; Scott C Roesch; Linda C Gallo; Kristen T Emory; Kristine M Molina; Patricia Gonzalez; Frank J Penedo; Elena L Navas-Nacher; Yanping Teng; Yu Deng; Carmen R Isasi; Neil Schneiderman; Elizabeth Brondolo Journal: J Lat Psychol Date: 2015-06-08