The Integration of Children of Turkish Immigrants in six European countries: Psychosocial and Contextual Factors

Using recent survey data of children of Turkish immigrants and native comparison group members, this paper examines effects of contextual and psychosocial factors on acculturation preferences. Berry's acculturation model is used to classify the Turkish second generation into acculturation style categories (assimilation, integration, separation, marginalization) whereas the Health Belief Model (HBM) is used to identify relevant contextual and psychosocial factors of acculturation preference style. Multiple Classification Analysis (MCA) is used to examine effects of HBM inspired factors on preference style, and to profile respondents with a particular style according to common background characteristics. The latter is particularly useful for tailoring integration policies to specific target groups. Results indicate that policy and local context (cues to action) are important to the explanation of acculturation preference whereas indicators of perceived threat to social exclusion, benefits of and barriers to social inclusion, and self-efficacy also contribute to the explanation of acculturation preferences of the Turkish second generation.