A comparative longitudinal approach to acculturation among children from immigrant families

In this article, Andrew Fuligni notes that, within the field of immigration , the process of acculturation has not been studied as a Process of individ ual change over time. Instead, it has often been inferred from cross-sectio nal studies examining individual and group differences in adjustment. Fulig ni argues that the limitations of traditional cross-sectional designs creat e a need for studies of acculturation that track the same immigrant childre n as they encounter and negotiate the potential differences between their o wn cultural traditions and those of the host society. He suggests an approa ch for studying acculturation that follows children from different generati ons across time and throughout their development. This comparative longitud inal approach allows investigators to isolate acculturative change from shi fts that would have occurred through the course of the childrens developmen t had they not immigrated. Acculturation can also be examined in terms of b oth the level and the developmental progression across different aspects of adjustment. This approach allows investigators to use various quantitative and qualitative methods to explore variations within and between immigrant s in order to better identify rind understand acculturation or acculturativ e change.