Biculturalism dynamics: A daily diary study of bicultural identity and psychosocial functioning

• Published in: Journal of applied developmental psychology 2019-05, Vol.62, p.26-37
• Main Authors: Schwartz, Seth J., Meca, Alan, Ward, Colleen, Szabó, Ágnes, Benet-Martínez, Verónica, Lorenzo-Blanco, Elma I., Sznitman, Gillian Albert, Cobb, Cory L., Szapocznik, José, Unger, Jennifer B., Cano, Miguel Ángel, Stuart, Jaimee, Zamboanga, Byron L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Autobiographical literature; Biculturalism; College students; Cultural conflict; Cultural identity; Daily diary; Developmental psychology; Health status; Internalization; Longitudinal; Mental health; Psychosocial factors; Psychosocial functioning; Variability; Well being
• ISSN: 0193-3973; 1873-7900
• DOI: 10.1016/j.appdev.2018.12.007

We examined two conceptualizations of bicultural identity – the Bicultural Identity Integration (BII) framework (cultural identity blendedness-distance and harmony-conflict) and cultural hybridizing and alternating (mixing one's two cultural identities and/or switching between them). Utilizing data from a 12-day diary study with 873 Hispanic college students, we examined three research questions: (1) cross-sectional and longitudinal intercorrelations among these biculturalism components, (2) links among daily variability in these biculturalism components, and (3) how this daily variability predicts well-being and mental health outcomes over time. Bicultural hybridizing was positively related to, and longitudinally predicted by, both BII blendedness and harmony. Daily fluctuation scores for BII blendedness, BII harmony, and bicultural hybridizing were strongly interrelated. Well-being was negatively predicted by fluctuations in hybridizing, whereas internalizing symptoms were positively predicted by fluctuations in blendedness. These results are discussed in terms of what biculturalism is and how best to promote it. •We posited and tested an integrative model of bicultural identity.•We used a 12-day daily diary study with Hispanic college students.•Across days, a belief that one's heritage and destination cultures are compatible predicted a tendency to blend the two cultures.•Alternating between one's heritage and destination cultures was weakly related to the other biculturalism dimensions.•Daily fluctuations in perceived compatibility between the two cultures, and in cultural hybridization, predicted lower well-being and increased distress.