Date of Award

2025-08-31

Degree Name

PhD Leadership Studies

Dissertation Committee

René Molenkamp, PhD, Chair; Cheryl Getz, EdD, Member; Sarina Chugani Molina, EdD, Member

Keywords

U.S.-born children of immigrants; cultural identity; belonging; mixed methods

Abstract

Within the next generation, one in five adults born in the United States will be a child of immigrants. Despite this, research on children of immigrants is limited. Specifically, the scholarship on this growing demographic limited their experiences to cultural identity, as it pertains to belonging. Simply put, the literature supposes that children of immigrants’ cultural identities define their sense of belonging. Moreover, the literature lacks insight into the lived experiences of children of immigrants, despite the increasing prevalence of this population.

This study aimed to address how children of immigrants experience cultural identity and belonging. A mixed methods research design, using both a survey (n = 40) and interviews (n = 7), facilitated this research. First, building off the literature, this study compared scholarly definitions of cultural identity and belonging to the lived experience of participants. That is, survey outcomes measuring cultural orientation, a proxy for cultural identity, and belonging were compared to interview descriptions. Second, insights were gathered on the lived experiences of children of immigrants with cultural identity and belonging. Anecdotes from the interviews presented possible explanations for the results of statistical tests of association.

Although there were no statistically-significant findings between cultural identity, belonging, and demographic factors; thematic analysis of the qualitative research indicated a complex and rich experience. Interviews with children of immigrants revealed experiences of negotiating complexity within their cultural identities: immigrant, American, and racial identities. Regarding belonging, children of immigrants’ experiences were nuanced—at times, informed by cultural identity—yet grounded in self-identity.

When it came to cultural identity and belonging for children of immigrants, this study looked at what these constructs meant to them. It was not about what has been attributed and assumed about the experience from the literature. For a group that is often caught between labels of cultural identity, among other identities, this research centered their voices. This gave light to the experience, rather than assumptions of living at the intersection of the immigrant, American, and racial identities. Contributions include a conceptual model of cultural identity and belonging dynamics, adding to scholarly understanding of children of immigrants’ experiences.

Document Type

Dissertation: Open Access

Department

Leadership Studies

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