Challenges in the study of adolescent and acculturative changes

Abstract

This article focuses on two recurrent themes in the study of acculturation in adolescence that challenge progress of the field. First, we often work with low-dimensional, trait-like models of acculturation that cannot deal with modern types of acculturation that are often characterized by multidimensionality and domain specificity. Second, acculturative change in adolescence is undertheorized and there is a need to integrate developmental tasks and models of acculturation. It is argued that approaches that have been adopted in the study of identity (with their models that range from generalized traits to situated approaches and their adoption of both quantitative and qualitative methods) are highly suitable for the study of acculturation. A more contextualized approach would also facilitate the study of the interaction of contextual conditions and acculturative changes in adolescence.

Keywords: Acculturation; Adolescence; Challenges; Integration.