Gender Differences in Young Latino Adults’ Status Attainment: Understanding Bilingualism in the Familial Context

• Author: Sampson Lee Blair,José A. Cobas
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3729.2006.00403.x
• Published date: 01 July 2006
• Date: 01 July 2006

Gender Differences in Young Latino Adults’

Status Attainment: Understanding Bilingualism in the

Familial Context

Sampson Lee Blair Jose´ A. Cobas*

Abstract: Previous studies have demonstrated that bilingualism among Latinos in the United States may not neces-

sarily result in negative status attainment consequences. Such studies have typically overlooked gender differences in

the consequences of bilingualism. Using data from the National Education Longitudinal Study (N¼866 females;

737 males), we analyzed gender differences in how bilingualism among Latino families (as experienced in childhood

and adolescence) may affect the status attainment of young adults. Results indicated that females were more sub-

stantially affected by language use and ability in the family context than males. The findings suggest that gender

roles within Latino families are interwoven with the effects of bilingualism. Practice and policy implications include

how schools and educators must address the gendered nature of bilingualism.

Key Words: bilingualism, gender differences, Latino families, status attainment, young adults.

Among the numerous ethnic minorities in the

United States, Latinos, in particular, have received

a great deal of attention from researchers in the

social sciences. The ever-increasing size of the Latino

population has led many researchers, educators, and

practitioners to have greater concern about the

nature of bilingualism, particularly for children and

young adults. Contrary to stereotyped expectations,

researchers have demonstrated that bilingual Latino

children do not, in fact, suffer because of their lan-

guage abilities. Rather, studies have consistently

shown that bilingual Latino children have higher

levels of cognitive attainment (Garcia, 1992), are

less likely to drop out of school (Feliciano, 2001),

and have higher rates of high school completion

than their monolingual counterparts (Fernandez &

Nielsen, 1986; Villanueva, 1996). Although such

findings suggest that bilingual abilities should be

considered an asset, rather than a handicap for

Latino youth, other researchers have called for

greater focus on the intricate nature of bilingual

abilities and the extent to which bilingualism is fos-

tered within families (Ortiz, 1986).

This study examined the manners by which bilin-

gualism within Latino families may affect the educa-

tional and occupational status attainment of young

adult males and females. The bilingual ability and usage

patterns developed within the context of the family are

regarded as influencing the eventual status attainment

of individuals. Given that Latino families are often

thought of as having a unique set of gender roles and

gendered expectations for their daughters and sons, this

study separately examined the role of bilingualism in

the status attainment of females and males. Based on

previous studies on gender and bilingualism, it was

found that the nature of bilingualism in the family (as

experienced in the childhood and adolescent years)

affects the eventual status attainment of young Latinas

and Latinos in distinct and different manners.

Bilingualism and Status Attainment

The status of language minority groups in the

United States has typically attracted a great deal of

debate, particularly in regard to their inclusion in

American schools (Locke, 1992). Such debates have

*Sampson Lee Blair is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology, 430 Park Hall, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260-4140 (slblair@

buffalo.edu). Jose

´A. Cobas is a Professor in the Department of Sociology at Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-4802 (cobas@asu.edu).

Family Relations, 55 (July 2006), 292–305. Blackwell Publishing.

Copyright 2006 by the National Council on Family Relations.