Comparison of the Hierarchical Arrangement of Interpersonal Values Between Latin American Immigrant Adolescents and Spaniard Adolescents in Spain.

The number of immigrants to Spain, particularly from Latin America, is increasing. Many of these individuals experience difficulties adapting to the new culture, especially adolescents, who are exposed to two possibly conflicting sets of values during a developmental period marked by physical and psychological transformation. Thus, this study was conducted to compare the hierarchical arrangement of interpersonal values between Latin American immigrant and Spanish adolescents in Spain. The sample group consisted of 199 adolescents from a secondary school in Madrid. The Survey of Interpersonal Values was administered to determine the students' experiences of six values: support, conformity, recognition, independence, benevolence, and leadership. The results showed that the hierarchy of values differs between immigrant and Spaniard adolescents; nevertheless, there is some approximation between the two groups for the highest-ranked and lowest-ranked values. Implications for the integration of immigrant adolescents into Spanish society, the impact on Spanish values, and future research are all discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]