The adaptation of Chinese adolescents in two societies: A comparison of Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong and Australia

The adaptation of Chinese adolescents in two societies: A comparison of Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong and Australia

• Leung, Cynthia Hong Kong Institute of Education
• Karnilowicz, Wally Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia

International Journal of Psychology, 44(3), 170-178, 2009

Psychology Press

2009

• A Human Growth & Development
  • AE Socioeconomic & Cultural Differences, Class & Family Background
• A Human Growth & Development
  • AC Socialization, Self-concept, Self-esteem, Identity, Affective, Emotional, Psycho-social & Moral Development
• A Human Growth & Development
  • AH Adolescence Development
• P Social Context of Education
  • PB Comparative Education
• N Students & Student Services
  • NC Charactieristics & Conditions of Students; Opinion & Attitudes of Students, Problems of Adjustment

China Hong Kong Melbourne Vic Academic Achievement Adolescents Australian Culture Behaviour Problems Chinese Chinese Australians Chinese Culture Cultural Differences Educational Practices Educational Psychology Migrants Psychological Evaluation Secondary School Students Self Esteem Questionnaires Secondary Education Adaptability Adaptive Behaviour Sociocultural Factors

• Hong Kong
• Australia

• 1997.7 onwards

• Secondary Education

This study aimed to compare the adaptation of two groups of migrant Chinese adolescents with their nonmigrant peers. The migrant adolescents included 55 Chinese migrant adolescents who migrated to Australia (Chinese-Australian) and 111 China-born adolescents who migrated to Hong Kong (Chinese-Hong Kong). The nonmigrant adolescents included 157 Anglo-Australian adolescents residing in Australia and 456 Hong Kong-born Chinese adolescents residing in Hong Kong. There were three research questions in this study. First, would there be any differences in the adaptation of Chinese migrant adolescents in different societies of settlement? Second, would migrant adolescents experience more adaptation problems than nonmigrant adolescents? Third, would there be any differences in the adaptation of adolescents in the two societies, Australia and Hong Kong? It was hypothesized that: (1) mainland Chinese migrant adolescents in Hong Kong would experience more adaptation problems than Chinese migrant adolescents in Australia; (2) migrant adolescents would report better adaptation than nonmigrant adolescents; (3) adolescents in Hong Kong would report poorer adaptation than adolescents in Australia. The participants were requested to complete a questionnaire on various adaptation outcome measures including life satisfaction, self-esteem, psychological symptoms, academic satisfaction, and behaviour problems. The results indicated that Chinese-Australian adolescents reported better psychological adaptation but Chinese-Hong Kong adolescents reported better sociocultural adaptation. Adolescents resident in Australia reported higher psychological adaptation but lower sociocultural adaptation than those in Hong Kong. Migrant adolescents reported better psychological and sociocultural adaptation than their nonmigrant counterparts. The results were discussed in relation to the social and educational systems of the two societies.
[Copyright of International Journal of Psychology is the property of Psychology Press . Full article may be available at the publisher's website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00207590701656150]

• English

Journal Articles

• 00207594

• 10.1080/00207590701656150

https://bibliography.lib.eduhk.hk/bibs/c4759765

2010-11-28