Biculturalism (having two cultures) is a growing social phenomenon that has received considerable attention in psychology in the last decade; however, the issue of what impact (if any) biculturalism has on individuals' adjustment remains empirically unclear. To answer this question, we conducted a meta-analysis that included 83 studies, 322 rs, and 23,197 participants. Results based on the random-effects approach show a significant, strong, and positive association between biculturalism and adjustment (both psychological and sociocultural). This biculturalismadjustment link is stronger than the association between having one culture (dominant or heritage) and adjustment. Thus, our results clearly invalidate early sociological accounts of this phenomenon, which portrayed bicultural individuals as "marginal" and stumped between two worlds. Analyses also indicate that the association between biculturalism and adjustment is moderated by how acculturation is measured, the adjustment domain, and sample characteristics.
Bicultural Identity Integration (BII) is an individual difference construct that captures variations in the experience of biculturalism. Using multiple samples in a series of steps, we refined BII measurement and then tested the construct in a diverse sample of bicultural individuals. Specifically, we wrote new BII items based on qualitative data ( = 108), examined the quality of the new measure using subject-matter experts ( = 23) and bicultural individuals ( = 5), and then collected validation data from bicultural college students ( = 1049). We used exploratory factor analyses to select items and explore BIIS-2 structure with a random subset of the larger sample ( = 600), confirmatory factor analyses to show that the factor structure fit the data well ( = 449), and multigroup confirmatory factor analyses to demonstrate measurement invariance in two ethnic and two generational groups. Results showed that the Bicultural Identity Integration Scale-Version 2 (BIIS-2) yielded reliable and stable scores. The data also revealed interesting and important patterns of associations with theoretically relevant constructs: personality, acculturation, and psychological well-being. Additionally, structural equation models confirmed that in general, personality and acculturation variables influence individuals' experiences with their dual cultural identities, which in turn influence adjustment, but there were interesting and important generational differences in how these variables were related. These findings lend support for the validity of BIIS-2 score interpretations; add to our understanding of the sociocultural, personality, and adjustment correlates of the bicultural experience; and have important implications for understanding the well-being of bicultural individuals. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).
Cultural contact due to migration, globalization, travel, and the resulting cultural diversity, has led to growing numbers of bicultural individuals, which demands further research on this group. In this article, we introduce the concept of biculturalism and provide the foundation necessary for understanding literature on this topic, beginning research in this area, and recognizing biculturalism in everyday life. In unpacking the construct of biculturalism, we first define it along with its components and related constructs (e.g. acculturation strategies). Second, we compare and discuss various ways of measuring biculturalism (e.g. unidimensional versus bidimensional models). Third, we organize and summarize the limited literature on individual differences in bicultural identity, focusing on the construct of Bicultural Identity Integration (Benet-Martínez & Haritatos, 2005). Lastly, we review the possible outcomes resulting from biculturalism.I think of myself not as a unified cultural being but as a communion of different cultural beings. Due to the fact that I have spent time in different cultural environments, I have developed several cultural identities that diverge and converge according to the need of the moment. (Sparrow, 2000, 190) 102 Biculturalism Unpacked
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