Mexican Americans in Higher Education: Cultural Adaptation and Marginalization as Predictors of College Persistence Intentions and Life Satisfaction

This study examined how college persistence intentions and life satisfaction influenced by acculturation, enculturation, White marginalization, and Mexican American marginalization among 515 Mexican American college students. The utility of a path analysis model was supported. Enculturation positively predicted persistence and life satisfaction. Acculturation and White marginalization positively predicted persistence. Mexican American marginalization negatively predicted persistence and life satisfaction. The model explained 4% and 10% of the variance in college persistence intentions and life satisfaction, respectively.