Chapter 17: Assessment of Acculturation (353-376)

Question 1

What is acculturation? What is enculturation?

Answer 1

Acculturation: Process by which worldview or behaviors of persons from one culture are

modified as a result of contact with a different culture.

• Changes in:

• Behaviors: Language use, participation in other cultural activities
• Values: Beliefs about human nature, time orientation
• Cultural awareness
• Ethnic loyalty
• Affective
• Cognitive: whatever we know to function as members of a group (or groups)
• Sense of identity

• Enculturation: Process of learning within a cultural context.

• Child-rearing
• Learning from others
• Modeling

Question 2

Modes of acculturation.

Answer 2

Assimilation: Surrenders native cultural identity

• Integration: Integrates both; in research affiliated with better mental health
• Separation: Maintains own native cultural identity and rejects involvement with host culture
• Segregation: Separation imposed by society
• Marginalization/Deculturation: Does not identify with either

Question 3

Stressors as a result of acculturation.

Answer 3

Learn new language

• Prejudice and discrimination
• Acculturating: culture shock
• Socioeconomic
• Health care
• Loss of social support networks
• Change in diet, sleep
• Family stability
• Berry: deviant behavior, psychosomatic symptoms, feelings of marginality
• Social stressors (violence, drugs)
• Separation and loss
• Inner city stressors
• Internal stressors: disabilities, deficits, post- traumatic stress
• Risk factors: family issues, health
• Immigrant and legal status

Question 4

Assessment of acculturation: difficulties assessing acculturation, strengths/weaknesses of

acculturation tools.

Answer 4

Difficult to measure

• Not single continuum (not one culture and in one direction)
• Dual cultural - unilinear better – but, unilinear aspect is still of concern
• Measure acculturation in different groups vs. specific groups
• Table 17-2 with list of possible tools
• Developed for research
• Does not take into consideration acculturation as an on-going process (cyclical nature)

• Acculturation Quick Screen (AQS)

• General measure, not specific to any group.
• Administer at least 4 weeks after students entered school; use as baseline