Cultural Identity, Cultural Intelligence, and Academic Engagement Among Adolescents of Immigrant and Nonimmigrant Background in Italy

As the global immigrant population continues to grow, so does the influence of cross-cultural exchange and multiculturalism. Italy has a long history of immigration, and immigrants also play a pivotal role in the country's workforce, social structure, and educational system (Colombo & Dalla‐Zuanna, 2019). In recent years, immigration issues have become increasingly prominent in Italy due to the influx of immigrants and refugees from different regions of the world. However, evidence suggests that the full integration of immigrants into Italian society has not yet been achieved (Azzolini et al., 2019). This study highlights the impact of context and mobility on individual-cultural interactions, which contribute to the continued development and transformation of all cultures. Our sample was drawn from three high schools in the Veneto region of Italy and consisted of 676 ninth grade students, almost half (40.7%) of whom had an immigrant background. We examined differences in individual cultural identity, cultural intelligence, and academic engagement based on the immigrant background dimension and explored correlations between them. Finally, we emphasized the importance of cross-cultural competence and its continuous development and enhancement through cross-cultural experiences. To address the research questions of this study, we analyzed data collected during the pretest phase of an identity project conducted in Italy (Ceccon et al., 2023). The Identity Project is an evidence-based intervention implemented in schools, initially in an American context. Its aim is to promote the exploration and enhancement of adolescents' cultural identities, thereby improving their well-being in a variety of personal and social domains (Umaña-Taylor et al., 2018). The current thesis comprises five chapters. The first chapter presents the immigrant groups living in Italy, including their migration history and current distribution. Emphasis is also placed on the development and impact of multi-ethnic schools in Italy, and the response of these schools to the cause of intercultural education is explored. The second chapter reviews the literature on cultural identity, cultural intelligence, and academic engagement among adolescent and immigrant groups. By exploring the impact of multiculturalism, hypotheses about the association between these three research variables are presented. The third chapter describes the current study, outlining the research questions, procedure, and analytic plan. Results are then described in the fourth chapter and discussed in the final chapter, together with the study's limitations and implications for future research.