The Impact of Culture on Filipino American Students' Sense of Belonging

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of cultural factors on Filipino American students' sense of belonging in college. The authors utilized structural equation modeling techniques to analyze a single-institution sample of 143 Filipino American undergraduates and estimate the impact of pressure to commit "cultural suicide," connections to cultural heritage, and ease of cultural adjustment on those students' sense of belonging to their campus cultures. Results indicate that pressure to commit cultural suicide and connections to cultural heritage indirectly influence sense of belonging via their impact on cultural adjustment. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.