Examines the relationship between acculturation and adjustment using a two-dimensional (2-D) approach that takes into account ethnic group members’ involvement with their own and the mainstream cultures. Participants for this study were 182 Vietnamese junior and senior high school students, most of whom lived in the less affluent areas of Lansing, Michigan. The students provided demographic information as well as answered questions contained in the Acculturation Scale for Vietnamese Adolescents (to assess involvement in the local Vietnamese community and the mainstream culture), the Brief Symptom Inventory (to identify psychological symptoms), the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale, and a Parent/Family Relations Measure. Findings supported the 2-D framework insofar as it seemed better able to explain the intricacies of acculturation; for example, involvement in both cultures was positively associated with family relations as well as self-esteem. Moreover, findings suggest that involvement in the mainstream culture did not alienate the students from their ethnic group. Further research can build on this study by (1) examining factors that appear crucial in moderating relationships between acculturation and adjustment, and (2) testing the 2-D model with other ethnic groups at different developmental stages.
