Interact & aspire high: Contextual conditions of acculturation and educational aspirations

Abstract

Although education is central for minorities’ integration, there are large achievement gaps between minority and majority students as a result of pervasive educational inequalities. Efforts to advance the educational outcomes of minority children have identified that parental beliefs about the education of their children are significantly influential on the children’s attainment. Given that these beliefs are dependent on the acculturation of the parents; improvements in intergroup contact, described as an antecedent of acculturation, could potentially produce beneficial educational outcomes for the children. This study aims to understand the educational aspirations Roma parents have for their children, drawing on intergroup contact and acculturation theories. The Roma is the largest minority in Europe and subject to many educational inequalities, so this approach could potentially help to improve their situation. Specifically, we examined how Roma parents’ frequency and quality of interaction with non-Roma individuals are related to their educational aspirations, and to what extent can this relationship be explained by their psychological process of acculturation. 242 Roma parents in Portugal participated in a survey study. Overall results revealed that an increase in intergroup contact frequency of the parents is related to higher educational aspirations for their children, and this positive effect is mediated by a decrease in their preference for culture maintenance. Moreover, the gender of the child and the socioeconomic status of parents were important predictors of parental educational aspirations. Implications for research and policy are discussed.