Immigrant Children: A Comparative Study of Their Process ofAdaptation

这个项目探讨了第二代青年（出生在美国或至少5年前移民到美国）如何适应美国社会。将对南佛罗里达州八年级和九年级的学生进行两次调查，间隔三年。这些学生包括古巴、海地、西印度、中美洲和南美洲移民群体的代表。预期适应成功程度及其发生过程的差异，将与每一组儿童所遇到的社会环境的各个方面有关。研究的重点是家族史、社会经济背景、就业状况、语言技能和使用、文化适应、自我认同、职业抱负、学校适应和教育成就。研究结果对社会化、语言习得、流动性和文化变迁等理论都有启示。

This project examines how second generation youth (born here or immigrated at least five years ago) adapt to U.S. society. Two surveys, three years apart, will be conducted of students in grades 8 and 9 in South Florida. Those students include repre- sentatives of Cuban, Haitian, West Indian, and Central and South American immigrant groups. Differences in success of adaptation, and in the processes through which it occurs, are expected, and will be linked to aspects of the social context encountered by children in each group. The study focuses upon family history, socio-economic background, employment status, language skills and usage, acculturation, self identity, career aspirations, school adjustment, and educational attainment. Results have implica- tions for theories of socialization, language acquisition, mobility, and cultural change.