Acculturation is the process of group and individual changes in culture and behaviour that result from intercultural contact. These changes have been taking place forever, and continue at an increasing pace as more and more peoples of different cultures move, meet and interact. Variations in the meanings of the concept, and some systematic conceptualisations of it are presented. This is followed by a survey of empirical work with indigenous, immigrant and ethnocultural peoples around the globe that employed both ethnographic (qualitative) and psychological (quantitative) methods. This wide-ranging research has been undertaken in a quest for possible general principles (or universals) of acculturation. This Element concludes with a short evaluation of the field of acculturation; its past, present and future.

Annotation An anthology of 11 studies synthesize research findings on acculturation that have been reported in specialist journals on the ethnic groups studied, or on theoretical and empirical issues, and so not readily available to psychologists in general. They discuss developments in theory, measurement, and applied research; individual and family processes; and acculturation, psychosocial adjustment, and health. Most of the contributors are research psychologists in the US. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com).

In recent years the topic of acculturation has evolved from a relatively minor research area to one of the most researched subjects in the field of cross-cultural psychology. This edited handbook compiles and systemizes the current state of the art by exploring the broad international scope of acculturation. A collection of the world's leading experts in the field review the various contexts for acculturation, the central theories, the groups and individuals undergoing acculturation (immigrants, refugees, indigenous people, expatriates, students and tourists) and discuss how current knowledge can be applied to make both the process and its outcome more manageable and profitable. Building on the theoretical and methodological framework of cross-cultural psychology, the authors focus specifically on the issues that arise when people from one culture move to another culture and the reciprocal adjustments, tensions and benefits involved.

"The main theme of this book is the interplay of Americanization and acculturation of the Japanese in the Hawaiian Islands. By acculturation the author refers to what the Nisei wanted and actually did achieve-their adaptation to American middle-class life" -- Preface.

Should African Americans be construed as a race or as an ethnic group? If African Americans are defined as an ethnic group, what role does culture play in their lives and how can we measure their culture? This groundbreaking volume argues that we should reject the concept of race and define African Americans as a cultural group. It presents the first scale ever devised for measuring acculturation among African Americans, along with powerful studies that empirically explore the role of culture and acculturation in African American behavior, health, and psychology. Among the authors' findings are how acculturation predicts symptoms, such as depression and anxiety, and physical problems, such as hypertension.

The Oxford Handbook of Acculturation and Health brings together acculturation theory and methodology with work linking acculturative processes to overall health outcomes. The blending of these two streams of literature is critical to move advances in acculturation theory and research into practical application for researchers, practitioners, educators, and policy makers.

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In this book, Yuxia Qian and Rukhsana Ahmed explore health acculturation, which they argue is a complex, multidimensional communication process involving concerted efforts from migrants, health professionals, researchers, community members, policymakers, and the media, rather than a unidimensional process synonymous with assimilation. Qian and Ahmed examine individual migrant health acculturation experiences, community-based culturally-centered health interventions, and cross-cultural health promotion and campaigns. Ultimately, this book unpacks the complexity surrounding the health acculturation process through different theoretical frameworks and cross-cultural applications in a range of communication contexts, including the interpersonal, family, community, organizational, and media.

Asian Americans are the fastest growing minority group in the United States. When Asian immigrants arrive in the United States, they regularly encounter a vast number of difficulties integrating themselves into their new culture. In Handbook of Mental Health and Acculturation in Asian American Families, distinguished researchers and clinicians discuss the process of acculturation for individuals and their families, addressing the mental health needs of Asian Americans and thoroughly examining the acculturative process, its common stressors, and characteristics associated with resiliency. This first-of-its-kind, multi-dimensional title synthesizes current acculturation research, while presenting those concepts within a clinical framework. In addition to providing an in-depth look at both past and present research and offering directions for future topics to explore, the book also offers a range of practical tools such as research scales to measure levels of acculturation, interview techniques, and clinical approaches for special populations including children, the elderly, and their families. Thought-provoking and informative, Handbook of Mental Health and Acculturation in Asian American Families will enhance the understanding of the clinical and sociocultural problems Asian Americans face, providing clinicians with all the necessary insights to better care for their patients.

Policymakers, practitioners, and educators frequently group Latina/o immigrant adolescents within a single homogenous category, thus creating a problem in understanding their diverse experiences. To explore these diverse Latina/o adolescent experiences this dissertation cross-culturally compares patterns of ethnic identity and acculturation across a group of Indigenous (Yucatec Maya) immigrant Latino/a adolescents in the U.S. with Yucatec Maya adolescents residing in Mexico and with non-Indigenous immigrant Latina/o adolescents in the U.S. How do ethnic identity, acculturation levels, perceived discrimination, and sense of school belonging compare across Yucatec Maya adolescents in the U.S., non-Yucatec Maya Latina/o adolescents in the U.S., and Yucatec Maya adolescents still in Mexico? What roles do individual factors such as gender, language, generation level, and external factors such as family, cultural practices, ethnic community networks, and peer relationships take in the adolescents' lives in the U.S. and in Yucatan? The study draws on ethnic identity and acculturation frameworks as they relate to perceived discrimination (the study of how the person targeted by discrimination reacts and interprets these acts) and to the adolescents' feelings of belonging at school. The participants included 65 Latina/o non-Yucatec Maya heritage adolescents living in the Los Angeles, California area, 66 Mexican Maya heritage immigrant adolescents living in San Francisco, California or the Los Angeles, California area, and 70 Mexican Maya heritage adolescents living in Yucatan, Mexico. All 201 adolescents took a survey incorporating measures of ethnic identity, acculturation, perceived discrimination, and school belonging. Thirty-eight of the adolescents participated in semi-structured interviews that explored attitudes toward school, culture, discrimination, family, community, and peers influencing the adolescents. Quantitative findings expose the intra-group differences across Yucatec Maya and non-Yucatec Maya Latina/os adolescents and the discrimination faced by the growing population of Yucatec Maya adolescents within the Latino/a immigrant groups. Language, gender, and generation all play roles in the amount of peer and adult perceived discrimination experienced and the distress caused by perceived discrimination across Indigenous and non-Indigenous adolescents. The quantitative findings ultimately show that Indigenous adolescents have different psychological and cultural experiences when compared to non-Indigenous Latina/o adolescents. Being Yucatec Maya, first generation, male, and/or knowledgeable of Maya would put the adolescent at a higher risk of experiencing more perceived discrimination acts and distress. More perceived discrimination from adults also relates to adolescents in the U.S. (both Yucatec Maya and non-Yucatec Maya) resulting in lower levels of school belonging. The qualitative findings across the non-Yucatec Maya adolescents, Yucatec Maya adolescents in the U.S., and Yucatec Maya adolescents in Mexico reveal an in depth look at multiple perspectives surrounding cultural and ethnic identity, cultural practices, American culture, discrimination, school, family, and peers. Specifically for the Yucatec Maya adolescents, the interviews provided a lens into their sentiments about the Maya culture and preserving the culture for future generations. The interviews reflect the agency, reclamation of culture, and lived experiences that make up the Indigenous and non-Indigenous adolescents of this study. The study exposes the Yucatec Maya youth's resilient Indigenous identity that emerges regardless of the discrimination they face from non-Latina/o/non-Mexican groups as well as from their own Latina/o/Mexican communities. This understanding is needed to provide more comprehensive resources and services to these adolescents.