The acculturation gap is the changing set of values and culture between a child and parent or guardian. The gap is usually revealed after a family immigrates from one country to another and assimilates into a culture. After immigration, a child adapts into a new culture quickly. The child usually interacts with more people from the new culture than the culture of their parents. School attendance plays a significant role in the shift of values and attitudes.

The acculturation gap-distress hypothesis states that because the parent and child acculturate at different rates, the acculturation gap exists. Because the parents have spent more time embracing their own culture and heritage, it takes more time for them to acculturate. Acculturation occurs when a person adapts into a new culture and learns its language, values, and traditions. When children acculturate, they are less proud of their family and view their parents as controlling. The parents do not switch their views and ideologies in the same way. The gap in language, values, and traditions between the child and parent is linked to conflict between them.

The acculturation gap in language can cause conflict between members of an immigrant family. The parents use their native language more so than the primary language of their new environment. The child, depending on the age of the child during immigration, is more likely to assume the local primary language as their own.

If a child does not formally learn the language of their parents, conflict arises between the family because it becomes difficult for the parent and child to discuss topics in depth with one another. When parents have to rely on their child for translation, it reverses the child-parent relationship and can lead to complications.^[how?]

The acculturation gap causes distress among parents and their children. When parents acculturate at a slower rate than their children, it can result in the parent growing apart from the child and not feeling as connected as before. In addition, parents could prevent the child from participating in activities that are a part of the new culture, which could lead the child to want to acculturate even further. Studies found that the increased conflict leads to more tense families that do not bond as deeply as others.^[who?] In addition, it is likely that these children act out behaviorally or academically.

One study with Mexican-American families found that intergenerational acculturation was unrelated to youth behavioral issues and family conflict disproving the acculturation gap-distress hypothesis. The study found that when the parent was more acculturated than the child, the child struggled with aggression and antisocial behavior. This study also found that when neither the parent or child was acculturated to the American or traditional culture, the child had a greater risk of conduct problems.

Immigrants sometimes face cultural dissonance when moving from one place to another. They may be confronted with prejudice from locals who feel their home has been infiltrated. This results in the immigrant feeling uncomfortable in the new environment which can potentially lead to conflict.

Studies have found that an immigrant child's exposure to discrimination and negative stereotypes while acculturating also can generate family conflict back at home due to the child's lost traditional cultural values.