The Relationship Among Self-esteem, Acculturation, and Recreation Participation of Recently Arrived Chinese Immigrant Adolescents

AbstractThis survey study investigated the relationships among self-esteem, acculturation and recreation participation among recently arrived Chinese immigrant adolescents. A total of 117 Chinese students in New York City, 58 males and 59 females from grades 9 through 12, completed the three questionnaires used in the study. Research findings showed that these students were at a low level of acculturation, but had a moderately high level of self-esteem. They participated most frequently in home/indoor activities and were attracted to various mass media using Chinese language and music. They often recreated with family members, Chinese friends or were alone in their free time. Boys participated significantly more often in sports while girls participated significantly more often in arts and crafts. School clubs and student organizations were the organizations with which these immigrant students most often affiliated. The perceived barriers to participation cited most often were lack of English proficiency, lack of opportunity, lack of partner and money and lack of knowledge about sites or information about activities. Both self-esteem and acculturation had a significant positive correlation with total level of recreation participation and a significant negative correlation with the total number of perceived barriers. Students with higher levels of self-esteem participated more often in recreation activities in the indoor/home-based, spectator, and outdoor activity categories. They also less often associated with non-Chinese people for recreation. Students with higher levels of acculturation participated more often in recreation activities and affiliated more often with organizations. No significant relationship was found between self-esteem and acculturation.KEYWORDS: Recreation participationself-esteemacculturationperceived barriersChinese immigrant adolescents