Acculturation Among Immigrants

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Acculturation is the method of attaining the lifestyle of one’s host country which encompasses the concurrent detachment from their native culture. Immigrant acculturation is a continuous process that can take years to decades to complete (Ajayi & Ajayi, 2008). Unidimensional acculturation occurs along a linear scale from not being completely absorbed in one’s original culture to being utterly engrossed in the new dominant culture (LaVeist & Isaac, 2013). An example of a unidimensional transition can be seen when teens become heavily involved with new friends or a new group at school and follow the crowd in order to fit in. Bi-dimensional acculturation emphasizes the integration among both the dominant culture and the original culture (LaVeist & Isaac, 2013). …show more content…

In fact those who are thoroughly acculturated are more likely to partake in poor eating habits and substance abuse and are also more likely to experience unfavorable birthing scenarios than those who are less acculturated but share the same historical origin. On the contrary however, they are more likely than most to utilize preventative services ((LaVeist & Isaac, 2013). Although the Latino population is fairly large, the majority of the effects that acculturation has on their community has been implemented on Mexicans. Drug use is much more prominent in pregnant women, children and adults. Some studies even showed heavier use among females. Low socioeconomic status has also been linked to illegal contraband association among adolescents living in New York compared to those immigrants still living in Puerto Rico (LaVeist & Isaac,

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