| This dissertation examines how social networks provide first- and second-generation Mexican immigrant youth in New York City with educational and emotional support and, in turn, how this support affects their sense of academic self-efficacy, identity, and engagement.;General support for education and high academic expectations are strong among Mexican immigrant parents, however, due to cultural, linguistic and institutional barriers not all have the understanding of how to tangibly support the academic achievement of their children. Research on mentoring with minority and immigrant youth suggests that non-relative adults in schools can serve as guides, bridging cultural and informational gaps that inhibit positive academic outcomes. These adults can also help generate social capital, providing upward mobility for this vulnerable group.;Academic self-efficacy, the belief in one's capabilities as a student, is one academic outcome that research has shown to be related to social support. Also of importance is how social support and academic self-efficacy together result in positive academic behaviors, also known as academic engagement. Few studies have examined the relationship between academic self-efficacy and engagement among immigrant students.;Further, the experiences of Mexicans in the U.S. have typically been documented in areas such as California, Texas, and the Southwest. Despite rapid growth in New York City, there has been little systematic investigation of the school-age portion of this population.;To explore these relationships among this growing group quantitative and qualitative data was collected from 107 first- and second-generation Mexican immigrant youth from the ages of 12 to 19 years old attending New York City public schools.;Findings reveal the influence of academic support on self-efficacy, identity, and engagement. The source of support was key in it's impact, with family and peers providing more encouragement and emotional support, and teachers providing concrete academic information. Despite the positive potential of teacher support, few students encountered this assistance, representing a missed opportunity to help them succeed academically. Unfortunately, some students reported experiencing the opposite; outward hostility from teachers that led to a diminished sense of self-efficacy, academic identity, and engagement. Implications for policy and practice with immigrant youth in the schools are discussed. |
