Hofferth and Moon explain the immigrant paradox

In a recent study, faculty associate Sandra Hofferth and colleague Jeong Moon help explain why immigrant children fair better than non-immigrant children on outcomes such as college enrollment, the likelihood of working or studying, having a criminal record, and having a child.

Using data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID), the authors compare 185 young Americans from immigrant families to 189 children from non-immigrant families, and find that parental expectations of children's educational attainment mediate the relationship between immigrant status and all other outcomes for children during adulthood. That is, because immigrant parents expect better outcomes for their children, these outcomes become more likely to be achieved.

See the post in Family Studies blog

See the article in Social Science Research