Acculturation

The chapter on acculturation describes the possible reactions of the immigrant to the encounter with the new host culture and describes the history and meaning of the term acculturation, the strategies used by immigrants in order to adapt to the new host culture, the styles and models of acculturation, and the distance or proximity in which they place themselves with respect to the new culture that surrounds them. It explains the concepts of acculturation stress—the risk factors and protective factors and other variables that facilitate or slow down acculturation—and the concept of acculturative family distancing, which occurs when different members of the family acculturate at different rates and the conflicts that are generated by this phenomenon. The chapter also explains the role of the acquisition of a new language and how acculturation is measured, the epidemiological findings brought by acculturation on the different generations of the immigrant family, and how individual, family, and community factors influence acculturation. It also explains the role of acculturation in nonimmigrant historical minorities who have resided in the country but do not partake of the mainstream culture. Treatment interventions are discussed, and the chapter is further illustrated with case studies.