Immigration from Mexico, School Composition, and Adolescent Functioning

The rapid growth of the Mexican American population and its young age structure have focused increased attention on the long-term prospects of Mexican American youth. This study explores generational differences among these youth, both within and across schools, to determine whether assimilation has positive or negative consequences in the long term for the Mexican American population as a whole. A series of logistic regression models with the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health revealed that rates of academic failure and risk of obesity were higher in the second generation of Mexican American youth, although these generational patterns varied by the interpersonal, behavioral, and demographic characteristics of the student bodies of the schools they attended. Assimilation, therefore, appeared to have different outcomes depending on the time point and local context in question.