Immigrant Youth in Germany

Psychological and Sociocultural Adaptation

Bibliographic Data

ID8092712
AuthorsEmily Frankenberg (0000-0002-9792-8547, Department of Psychology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, corresponding author), Katharina Kupper (Department of Psychology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany), Ruth Wagner (Department of Psychology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany), Stephan Bongard (0000-0002-7891-1117, Department of Psychology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany)
Year2013
Volume18
Issue3
Pages158-168
Publication date2013-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueEuropean Psychologist (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1016-9040 • E-ISSN: 1878-531X
PublisherHogrefe Verlag (PUBLISHER • DE)
DOI10.1027/1016-9040/a000154
OpenAlexW2166736383
LanguageEN
Citations received31
References cited52

This paper reviews research on young migrants in Germany. Particular attention is given to the question of how Germany’s history of migration, immigration policies, and public attitude toward migrants influence the transcultural adaptation of children and adolescents from different ethnic backgrounds. We combine past research with the results of new empirical studies in order to shed light on migrants’ psychological and sociocultural adaptation. Studies comparing young migrants and their German peers in terms of psychological well-being, life satisfaction, and mental health outcome suggest higher rates of emotional and behavioral problems among migrants of most age groups. With regard to adolescent populations between the ages of 14 and 17 years, however, the existence of differences between migrants and natives appears to be less clear. Research has also yielded inconsistent findings regarding the time trajectory of transcultural adaptation among adolescents. The coincidence of acculturation and age-related change is discussed as a possible source of these inconsistencies. Further, we provide an overview of risk and protective factors such as conflicting role expectations and ethnic discrimination, which may cause heightened vulnerability to adverse adaptation outcomes in some groups. Large-scale studies have repeatedly shown migrants of all age groups to be less successful within the German school system, indicating poor sociocultural adaptation. Possible explanations, such as the idiosyncrasies of the German school system, are presented. Our own studies contribute to the understanding of young migrants’ adaptation process by showing that it is their orientation to German culture, rather than the acculturation strategy of integration, that leads to the most positive psychological and sociocultural outcomes. The paper concludes by discussing implications for future cross-cultural research on young migrants and by suggesting recommendations for multicultural policies

Acculturation · Adaptation (eye · Developmental psychology · Ethnic group · Geography · German · Immigration · Mental health · Political science · Psychological adaptation · Sociocultural evolution · Sociology · Vulnerability (computing · International Student and Expatriate Challenges · Migration and Labor Dynamics · Psychology · Racial and Ethnic Identity Research · Social Psychology