Emerging Ideas – Intergenerational congruence with parents and language brokering: Implications on adolescent self-esteem

Objective

The present study explores how immigrant adolescents differ in their experiences of language brokering and how acculturation gaps may relate to adolescents' self-esteem.

Background

Adolescents often translate on behalf of immigrant parents and other family members, a process known as language brokering (LB). Because language brokering requires adolescents to be in extended close contact with parents, their subjective experiences of language brokering may relate to their individual well-being through their acculturation congruence with their parents.

Method

Three hundred four bilingual participants aged 13 to 17 years completed an online questionnaire about demographics, translating activities, acculturation congruence, and self-esteem. From affirmative responses to the translation item, a subsample of 188 language brokers was created for analyses of indirect effects.

Results

There were no significant differences between language brokers and non–language brokers on acculturation congruence. Among the language brokers, acculturation congruence had indirect effects on LB efficacy, burden, positive, and negative attitudes to self-esteem.

Conclusion

There is no evidence of an acculturation gap for language brokers and non–language brokers. Acculturation congruence has indirect effects on the subjective experiences of LB on self-esteem.

Implications

Parent-adolescent relationship quality may be key in regulating the relation of LB to individual well-being.