Publication
Title
Multilingual children living in multilingual families: investigating factors impacting children's happiness
Author
Abstract
Due to successive immigration waves, many European countries are experiencing a rise in ethnic minoritized families. In this study, we investigate how risks and resources associated with multilingualism at the individual and the family level shape minoritized children's reported happiness and whether these effects are independent of children's ethnic and national identification and perceived family cohesion. We use data collected from over 800 children (ages 10-12) living in Flanders, the Dutch-speaking northern region of Belgium. Results from multinomial logistic regression models on reported happiness provide robust evidence that speaking and understanding two languages well is beneficial for children compared to being fluent in only one. Moreover, the positive effects of multilingualism are not attributable to children's ethnic and national identification, factors that are beneficial in themselves. Our results further suggest that differences in mother-child language use and brokering are associated with lower levels of happiness, independently of family cohesion and individual factors. The findings of this study yield important insights for current political debates surrounding policies associated with multilingualism.
Language
English
Source (journal)
International journal of multilingualism. - Clevedon
Publication
Abingdon : 2023
ISSN
1479-0718
DOI
10.1080/14790718.2023.2233538
Volume/pages
(2023) , 16 p.
ISI
001026751100001
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (publisher's version - intranet only)
UAntwerpen
Research group
Publication type
Subject
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 09.10.2023
Last edited 01.07.2024
To cite this reference