Describing the Development of Academic Identity for Mexican American Adolescents

Phenomenological methods were used to examine identity construction. The researcher interviewed 12 male and female Mexican American adolescents, ranging in age from 14-16 years old. The researcher conducted individual interviews in a semi-structured format, and analyzed themes arising from those interviews. The themes that became prominent were those of relationships and connectedness, the agency of the individual adolescent, minimizing the experience of racism and the navigation of a Mexican identity. The results indicate the importance of relationships for academic engagement for these 12 Mexican American adolescents that are academically successful.