Transition to a New Country

Acculturative and Developmental Predictors for Changes in Self-Efficacy among Adolescent Immigrants

authored by: Peter F. Titzmann, Philipp Jugert
Abstract: Self-efficacy is a key personal resource in individual development and successful adaptation, and it can serve innumerable purposes. Our study investigated levels and change rates in self-efficacy among newcomer and more experienced immigrant adolescents and tested whether acculturation-related and developmental variables explained inter-individual differences in self-efficacy in both groups. The sample comprised 480 newcomer (59% female, 15.8 years old) and 483 experienced (55% female, 15.9 years old) immigrant adolescents, assessed in four annual waves. Latent growth curve models showed newcomers to have lower levels and more pronounced increases of self-efficacy as compared to experienced immigrant adolescents. Both acculturation-related and developmental variables predicted self-efficacy. The results highlight the need for focusing on immigration stages and support the notion of combining developmental and acculturative factors in the study of immigrant adolescents.
Organisation(s): Institute of Psychology
External Organisation(s): Universität Zürich (UZH)
Leipzig University
Type: Article
Journal: Journal of Youth and Adolescence
Volume: 46
Pages: 2143-2156
No. of pages: 14
ISSN: 0047-2891
Publication date: 10.2017
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Social Psychology, Education, Developmental and Educational Psychology, Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 10 - Reduced Inequalities
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-017-0665-9 (Access: Closed)