CHANGING STORIES: THE EVOLVING NARRATIVES OF IMMIGRANT CHILDREN

Written by Irina L.G. TODOROVA, Carola SUAREZ-OROZCO, Marcelo SUAREZ-OROZCO on 12 December 2008. Posted in Special issue: Mixed Methods Research, Guest Editor: Adriana BĂBAN, Volume XII, Nr. 4

ABSTRACT

With over 200 million international migrants, immigration is a phenomenon expanding globally at unprecedented rates, having central implications for education and psychosocial wellbeing. In this paper, using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods from The Longitudinal Immigrant Student Adaptation Study (L.I.S.A.) we analyze different patterns of interplay of achievement and affinitive themes in narratives of 400 recently arrived immigrant children from a variety of backgrounds ï¿½ Chinese, Central American, Dominican, Haitian and Mexican. The Thematic Apperception Test, Card 1 and 2, is used as a tool to generate narrative data. The method for administering, coding and analyzing the narratives is described. We draw conclusions about the changing interpersonal concerns, anxieties, aspirations and definitions of achievement and success of the immigrant youth.

KEYWORDS: projected narratives, immigrant youth, achievement motivation, mixed methods.

PAGES: 345-367