Acculturation Strategies and Arab Youth Cultural Identity Development: A Review

As youth immigrate to a new country, they tend to acculturate in various ways. By definition, acculturation is “the processes through which immigrants gradually adapt their language, behavior and/or values as a result of their contact with the mainstream culture” (Wang et al., 2012). Immigrant youth adopt one of four acculturation strategies, namely assimilation, separation, integration and marginalization (Berry & Sabatier, 2010; Coatsworth & Maldonado-Molina, 2005; Wang et al., 2012). Research has shown that adopting an integrated profile with a balance between both heritage and mainstream cultures translates into greater psychological and socio-cultural adaptation. Synthesized information from research on immigrant youths’ adaptation also holds that the acculturation strategy that they adopt influences their cultural identity development, stability or change. Cultural identity is composed of the immigrant youth’s ethnic identity; shaped by their culture of origin; and their national identity; identity supported by the larger society (Berry & Sabatier, 2010; Berry, 2006; Britto & Amer, 2007; Wang et al., 2012). The purpose of this poster is to provide a greater insight into existing research on Arab youths’ identity development and how this is shaped by the acculturation strategy that they adopt. This can be a base for future research on the stability or fluidity of Arab youth cultural identity development and factors leading to youths’ successful acculturation. Key words: Acculturation strategies, cultural Identity, social goals, Arab youth, immigratio