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Most recent Canadian studies on the mental health and behavioural problems of Canadian immigrant children have focused on the impact of various socioeconomic and demographic factors. To better understand the emotional and behavioural problems of immigrant children, it is important to look beyond the children's family demographics and to assess the broader social context. The current study explored the effects of immigrant children's social relationships within families and peer groups, as well as the effects of their demographic backgrounds, on the children's behavioural problems. This paper is based on the data for 182 Chinese immigrant children aged 11 to 13 years old collected from the New Canadian Children and Youth Study (NCCYS) 1st Wave in Montreal. Measures of the social relationships and behavioural problems include the following three tools: children's perceptions of their emotional and behavioural problems scales (five subscales); children's perception of parental relationships (parental nurturance, parental rejection, and relationships with parents); peer relationships (social competence, involvement with peers in trouble, and participating in bullying). The regression results indicated that immigrant children's relationships with both parents and peers were the most significant predictor of specific behaviour problems. Demographic factors, especially family structure, gender, and ethnicity, were also found to influence behavioural problems of Chinese immigrant children. In order to improve the integration and adaptation process for immigrant children and their families with adjustment difficulties in their social relationships and behavioural problems, relevant intervention and prevention programs (including early identification of children at risk, developing pro-social skills, improving parent-child interaction skills) need to be developed in school settings in collaboration with the community, by government, and by ethno-specific community groups.

The main purpose of this study was to examine the Asian perspective in regard to the intergenerational solidarity framework developed by Bengtson and his colleagues. Focusing on normative solidarity and functional solidarity within Asian families, adult children's provision of assistance to elderly relatives was investigated in relation to norms of filial responsibility. A subsample of 109 employed Asian immigrants in Canada was selected from a national survey of Work and Family conducted by CARNET (The Canadian Aging Research Network). The study tested three hypotheses: 1) stronger norms of filial responsibility (normative solidarity) are positively associated with higher levels and more hours of assistance provided to elderly relatives (functional solidarity); 2) older age at immigration and/or shorter length of residence (immigrant status) are positively associated with higher levels and more hours of assistance provided to elderly relatives (functional solidarity); and 3) there is an interaction effect of norms of filial responsibility and immigrant status on levels and hours of assistance provided to elderly relatives. The results showed that there was no relationship between norms of filial responsibility and the provision of assistance to elderly relatives; nor was there a relationship between immigrant status and the provision of assistance to elderly relatives. Coresidence with the elderly relative, as an alternative measure of norms of filial responsibility in Asian families, was investigated with regard to the provision of assistance to the elderly relative in the post hoc analysis. The results showed that there was a significant relationship between coresidence and higher levels and more hours of assistance provided to elderly relatives.

Research on developmental, family, and cross-cultural psychology has consistently found evidence that discrepancies exist between parents and their youth around individual preferences, social conventions, and personal values. In immigrant families, these issues may be compounded by cultural change. Indeed, some research has found that immigrant parent-youth dyads diverge in their heritage and settlement culture orientations and have different personal values priorities. These discrepancies, in turn, are related to poorer youth and family adjustment. In recent years, some studies have proposed that facets of the parent-youth relationship may buffer the experience of maladjustment as a function of cultural discrepancies. Therefore, this dissertation had two general aims: (1) to examine the extent to which immigrant Arab Canadian youth perceive cultural discrepancies between themselves and their parents, as well as how they relate to individual and familial adjustment; and (2) to identify specific facets of the parent-youth relationship that moderate the association between perceived cultural discrepancies and outcomes. Although research on different cultural groups as well as immigrant and ethnic minority families has increased in recent years, there is a paucity of empirical work examining Arab immigrants in Canada. This dissertation used a mixed-methods approach to comprehensively investigate youth’s perceptions of parent-youth cultural discrepancies and parent-youth relationships, and how they related to intergenerational conflict and ethnocultural identity conflict. Study 1 consisted of a series of semi-structured interviews. Using a narrative approach, 12 immigrant youth were asked to describe their individual and family experiences as Arabs living in Canada. Findings confirmed that youth perceived cultural discrepancies between themselves and their parents, which were associated with increased intergenerational conflict and ethnocultural identity conflict. However, specific aspects of the parent-youth relationship were identified as either a protective (i.e., when they were open, communicative, and supportive) or risk (i.e., when they were marked by emotional distance) factor. Study 2 was a quantitative approach to examine the prevalence of perceived cultural discrepancies, and their association with intergenerational conflict and ethnocultural identity conflict. Specifically, a series of hierarchical regressions were used to test the hypotheses that parent-youth relationships moderated the associations between perceived cultural discrepancies and conflict. Results confirmed that immigrant Arab youth in Canada perceived heritage and settlement culture orientation and values discrepancies between themselves and their parents, that perceived cultural discrepancies were associated with more conflict, and that parent-youth relationships moderated the relationship between perceived cultural discrepancies and conflict. These studies were among the first to examine these issues in immigrant Arab families in Canada. It is imperative to increase our knowledge of Arab families in Canada given their rapid population growth, cultural dissimilarity, the pervasiveness of group misunderstanding and misrepresentation that has been exacerbated post-9/11, and the likelihood that immigration from the Middle East and North Africa will surge following the Arab Spring.

Thesis (M.A.)--York University, 2006. Graduate Programme in Psychology. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 111-116). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:MR29543

The main purpose of this study was to examine the Asian perspective in regard to the intergenerational solidarity framework developed by Bengtson and his colleagues. Focusing on normative solidarity and functional solidarity within Asian families, adult children's provision of assistance to elderly relatives was investigated in relation to norms of filial responsibility. A subsample of 109 employed Asian immigrants in Canada was selected from a national survey of Work and Family conducted by CARNET (The Canadian Aging Research Network). The study tested three hypotheses: 1) stronger norms of filial responsibility (normative solidarity) are positively associated with higher levels and more hours of assistance provided to elderly relatives (functional solidarity); 2) older age at immigration and/or shorter length of residence (immigrant status) are positively associated with higher levels and more hours of assistance provided to elderly relatives (functional solidarity); and 3) there is an interaction effect of norms of filial responsibility and immigrant status on levels and hours of assistance provided to elderly relatives. The results showed that there was no relationship between norms of filial responsibility and the provision of assistance to elderly relatives; nor was there a relationship between immigrant status and the provision of assistance to elderly relatives. Coresidence with the elderly relative, as an alternative measure of norms of filial responsibility in Asian families, was investigated with regard to the provision of assistance to the elderly relative in the post hoc analysis. The results showed that there was a significant relationship between coresidence and higher levels and more hours of assistance provided to elderly relatives. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

The purpose of this study was to further examine the relationship between family leisure variables and the dependent variables of family functioning and satisfaction with family life among a broad, national sample of Canadian families using the Core and Balance framework. Specifically, this study examined how both family leisure involvement (core and balance) and family leisure satisfaction contributed to the explanation of variance in family functioning and satisfaction with family life. Because the data were nested in families, this study accounted for family-level variance by incorporating mixed modeling. The sample consisted of 943 families across Canada including one parent and one child between the ages of 11 and 16 (n = 1886). Findings added to previous Canadian family leisure studies by reporting empirical relationships between family leisure variables and outcome variables and doing so from a broad national sample. Findings were also consistent with trends in other countries reporting satisfaction with core family leisure involvement as the single strongest predictor of both family functioning and satisfaction with family life among Canadian families. Furthermore, while core family leisure satisfaction was the driving force in the explanation of variance in family satisfaction, findings suggest there must be participation in both core and balance family leisure. Additional implications for Canadian families, scholars, professionals, and policy makers are discussed.

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This study was designed to explore how Chinese families managed the care of an adult member with advanced cancer both in home and hospital settings, to identify factors that affected care management, to examine the influence of cultural beliefs and practices on caregiving, and to examine the preference for location of care, from the perspective of one family member. The method used in conducting this study was the grounded theory approach of qualitative research. Data were collected through a series of interviews with six Chinese informants (five adult children and one spouse). The initial interviews were guided by the research questions. Constant comparative analysis was employed throughout data collection to permit analytic material to guide and focus the process of constructing the core social process. The informants' degree of ethnic identity was measured using the Ethnic Identity Questionnaire to further validate the researcher's observations pertaining to cultural orientation. The results indicated that Chinese families managed the care of an adult member with advanced cancer through the balancing process. This process, used when patients were in hospital and home, characterized the struggle the families experienced in managing everchanging caregiving demands and everyday family demands. Balancing was comprised of four interrelated management strategies: gauging, anticipating, sharing the load, and resourcing. It was concluded that the process is not culturally-bound although activities of trying out and patterns of help-seeking were thought to be culturally based. Factors which were found to influence the balancing process were past experiences and the patients' and family members' style or previous patterns of coping. Cultural beliefs influenced family members' actions and the reasons given for their actions. The results also indicated that Chinese families preferred care at home to care in the hospital. However, care at home was contingent on four factors: availability and ability of caregivers, family support, information from physician, and patients' physical condition and symptom management. The hospital setting was identified as the place where the ill family would die. In terms of nursing practice, the results support the need for nurses to be family-focused and support the actions of family members as the families manage the care. The results also suggest nurses to explore their own beliefs as well as beliefs of patients and families to ensure sensitivity is shown to differences. The findings reinforce the importance of educating families, as well as other health care professionals, about nursing's role in providing care, especially in the community. With regard to nursing research, the results reinforce the need to conduct family unit research and further explore the validity of the balancing process with more Chinese families and other ethnic groups. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Nursing, School of / Graduate