Title

Dreaming in Spain: Parental Determinants of Immigrant Children's Ambition

Author(s)

Alejandro Portes Alejandro Portes (Princeton University)

Erik Vickstrom Erik Vickstrom (Princeton University)

William Haller William Haller (Clemson University)

Rosa Aparicio Rosa Aparicio (Instituto Iniversitario Ortega y Gasselt)

Abstract

We examine determinants of educational and occupational aspirations and expectations among children of immigrants in Spain on the basis of a unique data set that includes statistically representative data for foreign-origin secondary students in Madrid and Barcelona plus a sample of one-fourth of their parents. Independently collected data for both generations allow us to establish effects of parental characteristics on childrens orientations without the confounding potential inherent on childrens reports about parents. We analyze first determinants of parental ambition and, through a series of step-wise regressions, the effects of these goals and other parental and family characteristics on childrens aspirations and expectations. A structural equations model synthesizes results of the analysis. The model confirms some predictions from the existing research literature, but rejects others. Parental goals, knowledge of Spanish, sex and childrens age relative to class year as shown to be the major determinants of childrens level of ambition. Implications for theory and policy are discussed.

Creation Date

2011-06

Section URL ID

CMD

Paper Number

wp1102b-Dreaming-in-Spain-revised.pdf

URL

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5066875/

File Function

Jel

D100, I390, J120, J130, I210

Keyword(s)

aspirations, expectations, children of immigrants, adaptation, Spain

Suppress

false

Series

7