Acculturation and adaptation among Kurdish youth

Abstract

The article investigates different forms of acculturation (integration, ethnic, national and diffuse) and adaptation (psychological and sociocultural) and their relations among Kurdish youth. The research uses survey methods. Research census is people between ages 18 and 29 in Kermanshah and Javanroud cities in Kermanshah province. To analyze the data we used a person approach (cluster analysis) and variable approach (explanatory factor analysis and path analysis). We refer to the resulting clusters as acculturation profiles: an ethnic profile (including 30% of the sample), a national profile (24.5%), an integration profile (34.5%), and a diffuse profile (11%). Path analysis results that a combined involvement in the national and the ethnic cultures is associated with more positive adaptation outcomes. We found that the effect of ethnic orientation on psychological adaptation was stronger than the one on sociocultural adaptation. Also we found that national orientation did not have a stronger impact on sociocultural adaptation than ethnic orientation.

Keywords

• acculturation
• adaptation
• integration
• ethnic identity
• national identity