School Adjustment and Family Resources of Immigrant and Non-Immigrant Children in India

Author : Bapi Biswas, Shaban Bano

Abstract : The present study examined differences in school adjustment and family resources between immigrant and non-immigrant children and explored the relationships among these factors. A total of 385 children (185 immigrant and 200 non-immigrant), aged 8–13 years, were recruited from different districts of West Bengal, India. Standardized measures assessed school liking, academic self concept, school belonging, absenteeism, household resources, and involvement in family work. Independent-samples t-tests revealed significant group differences. Immigrant children reported lower levels of school liking, academic self-concept, and school belonging compared to non immigrant children, and they had fewer family resources. At the same time, immigrant children showed significantly higher absenteeism and greater involvement in family work. Effect sizes indicated meaningful differences between the two groups. Correlation analyses showed that school liking was positively associated with academic self-concept, school belonging, and family resources, and negatively associated with absenteeism and involvement in family work. Absenteeism was positively related to family work and negatively related to family resources, while involvement in family work showed a strong positive association with absenteeism. Moderation analyses indicated that immigrant status significantly predicted school liking, academic self-concept, and absenteeism. However, family resources and involvement in family work generally did not moderate these relationships. The only significant interaction was observed between family resources and immigrant status in predicting school belonging, suggesting that the influence of resources on belonging differed slightly across groups. Overall, the findings highlight important disparities in school adjustment and family resources between immigrant and non-immigrant children. These results underscore the need for culturally sensitive educational policies and resource-oriented family interventions to promote positive school experiences among immigrant children in diverse cultural contexts.

Keywords : Immigrant children, school adjustment, family resources

Conference Name : International Conference on Migration, Diaspora, and Integration in Europe (ICMDIE-26)

Conference Place : Madrid, Spain

Conference Date : 30th May 2026