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Abstract
In breaking with past patterns of Puerto Rican immigrants to the U.S., the Central Florida Puerto Rican diaspora offers a unique opportunity for psychologists to study acculturation. Four measurement models of acculturation were examined in a sample of 484 Central Florida Puerto Ricans using of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The models tested varied in linearity (i.e., unilinear and bilinear) and dimensionality (i.e., cultural behaviors, values, and identity). As hypothesized, the bilinear three-dimensional model (i.e., cultural behaviors dimension, cultural values dimension, and ethnic identity dimension) resulted in the best model fit, 2 (178) = 423.23, CFI = .95, TLI =.93, RMSEA = .07, SRMR = .05. The results suggest that acculturation among Puerto Ricans living in Central Florida is best conceptualized as a bilinear phenomenon in which individuals simultaneously adhere to European American and Puerto Rican culture. Within both cultural orientations, there seems to be related yet distinct values, behavioral, and ethnic identity dimensions. Puerto Rican behaviors, values, and ethnic identity domains were negatively related to European American behaviors and ethnic identity.