Bridging Disciplinary Boundaries (January 11 - 14, 2007)

Purpose: Social capital (i.e., resources inherent in social relationships that facilitate a social outcome) (Coleman, 1990) has been an increasingly popular concept in sociological, political, and public health research. Previous studies documented the significant effects of social capital on the psychosocial adjustment (e.g., depression, self-esteem, academic performance, etc.) of children, including those from immigrant families. However, there is lack of a delicate theoretical framework of social capital for immigrant children particularly. The potential of social capital in guiding social work practice to serve this population also remains unexplored. The purpose of this study is to systematically review empirical studies that investigate the role of social capital in the psychosocial adjustment of immigrant children in order to inform social work research and practice to better understand and promote the psychosocial adjustment of this underserved population. Method: Employing the systematic review method, this study searched for relevant articles in electronic databases including PsycInfo, ProQuest, JSTOR, Ovid, Social Science Abstract, and Social Work Abstract, using three key words: social capital, immigrant, and children. Articles were included for review if they 1) had immigrant children as study population; 2) used the term “social capital” and treated it as a study variable; 3) examined the psychosocial adjustment of immigrant children in relation to social capital. The reference sections of the primarily selected articles were also studied to identify additional articles. Nineteen empirical studies were thus identified, and the summary of each study was presented in a table providing information about the purpose, method, sample, measures of social capital, target outcomes, analytical strategies, and results. Results: A critical review of the studies identified trends as well as knowledge gaps remained in the literature: 1) existing studies mainly focused on social capital embedded in family and community, while ignoring those embedded in peer and school, two other critical components of children's immediate social contexts,; 2) existing studies tended to take a top-down view of the effects of social contexts on children, while ignoring that children, as independent social actors, may actively generate and mobilize their own social capital, thus modifying its effects on their psychosocial adjustment; 3) existing studies generally considered social capital as stagnant resources embedded in the contemporary social contexts, while ignoring that, for immigrant children, the change in social capital associated with the migration process may have the most significant effects on their psychosocial adjustment. This review concluded with proposing a social capital theoretical framework particularly applicable for immigrant children, which suggests examining social capital embedded in a full range of social contexts, taking into account the children's personal agency, and considering the dynamic nature of social capital in the context of migration. Implications: This study advances social capital theory by proposing a conceptual framework particularly applicable for immigrant children. It points out the directions for future research. It also implies utilizing social capital as an innovative approach in social work practice to promote the psychosocial adjustment of immigrant children through better understanding their unique experiences in relation to the social contexts.