First Language Loss and Maintenance in Youth and Adolescents With Immigrant Backgrounds - Esther Li

This study examines how acculturation and enculturation relate to first-language loss among bilingual young adults. Higher acculturation predicts weaker first-language skills but stronger English proficiency, while enculturation predicts better retention of the first language. Multigenerational households did not significantly prevent language loss, underscoring the delicate balance between adaptation and heritage preservation.