Acculturation and school success: A study among minority youth in the Netherlands

Abstract

In this study, we examine the school performance and school adjustment of youth from three different minority groups: Turkish and Moroccan labor migrants, and Christian-Turkish refugees. We compare these groups with their native Dutch peers in secondary school settings. The aim of the study was to test cultural explanations of ethnic differences in success and well-being in school. Acculturation attitudes were a central focus in the study and were viewed as a possible explanatory ground for ethnic diversity in educational profiles. With regard to school adjustment, our findings suggest highly selective acculturation effects for specific ethnic groups in specific contexts (home vs. school). We found that acculturation effects are highly context-dependent.