EXAMINING PARENTING IN CONTEXT USING MULTI-METHOD APPROACHES AMONG CHINESE IMMIGRANT FAMILIES IN THE UNITED STATES

Abstract

This dissertations project utilized a multi-method approach to examine the role of culture and Chinese immigrant mothers? beliefs and the warm and controlling practices they engage in when interacting with their children. Paper One compared Chinese immigrant and European American mothers? conceptualizations of the mother-child interaction situations in which they express warmth and control with their children. Both groups identified the same 12 socialization situations of warmth and control, suggesting culturally-shared socialization priorities. However, European American mothers emphasized warmth in situations involving daily routines and schedules, communication and physical intimacy, and activities more than Chinese immigrant mothers, who instead emphasized expressing warmth during moments of child difficulties. Moreover, European American mothers reported exerting control over situations involving interpersonal behaviors and children'ssafety more than Chinese immigrant mothers, who instead emphasized situations involving child difficulties and morality. Paper Two examined the moderating role of cultural values in the bidirectional effects between Chinese immigrant mothers? observed emotion socialization practices and their children'sexpressed emotions during an emotion-laden situation. Mothers? emotion dismissing practices intensified children'sanger and sadness but only when mothers endorsed less Asian cultural values. However, children'sanger and sadness evoked mothers? greater use of emotion dismissing practices and moral and behavioral socialization practices when mothers endorsed stronger Asian cultural values. Mothers? use of emotion coaching reduced anger and sadness in children, and children'sanger and sadness evoked mothers? emotion coaching practices when mothers adhered to less Asian cultural values. Paper Three utilized sequential analyses to identify immediate contingent mother-child interaction patterns within a situation/timed-event among Chinese immigrant families. Mothers? emotion socialization practices differentially evoked children'simmediate expressions of anger and sadness or joy. Children'sexpressions of anger and sadness or joy elicited mothers? use of different emotion socialization practices. Mothers? practices informed children'ssubsequent use of the same strategies and children'sstrategies elicited mothers? engagement in the same practice. Children'sstrategies immediately evoked their feelings of anger and sadness or joy. Mothers? Asian cultural values impacted mother-child contingent behaviors. Overall, this dissertations project informs parenting theories and the development of programs to promote immigrant families? adjustment in the United States.