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Ethnic Identity: Acculturation

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Ethnic Identity: Acculturation

The concept of acculturation refers to the process through which individuals of a different

culture become assimilated to a different culture, typically the dominant culture. More broadly, it

entails a process through which individuals from other cultural backgrounds adopt and start

practicing the values, beliefs, and practices of a different culture. Through this process,

individuals tend to adjust to the new cultural environment (Hays & Erford, 2018). Research

indicates that the process of acculturation fosters the ability of individuals, particularly the

immigrants to embrace a new culture and to some extent change their culture. The concept of

acculturation revolves around four components which are essentially fundamental to

multicultural counsellors (Hays & Erford, 2018). The four components that are key to the

process of acculturation include marginalization, assimilation, separation, and integration (Hays

& Erford, 2018). Notably, multicultural counsellors ought to have profound understanding of

these components since they are often encountered with numerous cases that revolve around this

concept. This work explores the significant issues that are related to the process of acculturation

that counsellors must be aware of as well as the challenges that immigrants are confronted with

as a result of acculturation.

There are numerous significant issues that are related to the process of acculturation. One

of the issues is that this process fosters profound stress to individuals since they are compelled to

adjust to a new cultural setting albeit culture is inherent to every individual. More so, the process

of acculturation to some extent compels individuals to deny and abandon the culture they are

accustomed to (Hays & Erford, 2018). Consequent to this, individuals who go through the

process of acculturation tend develop depression and isolation tendencies. Another significant

issue relates to prejudice and discrimination (Hays & Erford, 2018). Being in a new cultural
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setting, individuals of the less dominant culture face oppression and are perceived as outsiders, a

phenomenon that causes discrimination and stereotypes.

It is worth noting that immigrations are faced with numerous challenges, particularly

related to cultural differences especially when they come to the United States of America. One of

the challenges they face is the language barrier since the dominant language in America is

English (Gonzalez & Méndez-Pounds, 2018). For immigrants who come from cultures that do

not communicate through English find it difficult to communicate and interact with individuals

here. Therefore, multicultural counsellors should make arrangements to have translators when

having such individuals. Another challenge immigrant’s face relates to an inability to find

affordable housing and transportation to different locations (Gonzalez & Méndez-Pounds, 2018).

Being in a new environment, immigrants lack adequate knowledge on where to find stable

housing as well as how the public transport systems in the new environmental setting operates.

It is appropriate and imperative that the immigrants are accorded help to facilitate a

smooth shift from their cultures to the new cultures. Individuals in society should be concerned

to a significant extent about the welfare of others, particularly the immigrants. The Bible also

urges, “Let each of you not only look to his own interests, but also to the interest of others”

(NIV, Philippians 2:4). Hence, it is appropriate for counsellors as well as other members of

society to accord help to the immigrants so as to enhance the process of acculturation.

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References

Hays, D. G., & Erford, B. T. (2018). Developing multicultural counseling competence: A

systems approach.

Gonzalez, N., & Méndez-Pounds, J. (2018). The impact of acculturation and cultural values on

Hispanic immigrants’ parenting. Contemporary Family Therapy, 40(1), 56-67.