Chinese immigrant families’ educational expectations are usually characterized as one of the most important reasons for Chinese students’ educational attainment and achievement. However, the understanding of the nature and formation of Chinese immigrant families’ educational expectations is limited. It is important to examine Chinese immigrant families’ educational expectations to gain a better understanding of their living and schooling experiences in Canada, in light of the fact that Chinese immigrants are one of the fastest growing ethnic minority group in Canada. This research is a qualitative multiple case study of twelve selected Chinese immigrant families’ educational expectations. The research purposes include: to give detailed description and interpretation of Chinese immigrant families’ educational expectations; to identify and analyze the factors affecting the formation of educational expectations in Chinese immigrant families; and to explore and summarize Chinese parents’ and children’s plans and strategies to fulfill their educational expectations. Semi-structured in-depth interviews was the main method to collect the data including the voices both from Chinese immigrant parents and children. I analyzed the data in three phases: refining and open coding, building categories and themes, and cross-case comparison and analytical generalization. The data were presented in six categories covering Chinese immigrant families’ experiences from the general living experiences of immigration to the detailed schooling experiences in Canada and then to their specific thoughts regarding educational expectations. The findings of this study revealed the complexity and variability in how educational expectations were constructed in Chinese immigrant families’ life course of immigration. There were two levels of meanings included in Chinese immigrant families’ educational expectations: the specific expectations regarding children’s academic achievement and the general expectations regarding what kind of people children should become. Chinese immigrant families’ educational expectations were affected by different factors: Chinese cultural values, acculturation gap, parents’ life experiences and perception of Canadian society, family’s social status, age of immigration, length of residence, immigrant status, gender, personalities, and peer influence. Different factors and different combinations of these factors would influence Chinese immigrant families’ educational expectations in different ways. How Chinese immigrant parents transmitted their educational expectations to their children and actualized the expectations through parenting had an enormous impact on children’s eventual school performance and academic achievement. Chinese immigrant families’ cultural identification and acculturation were the most salient elements to explain how they formed their educational expectations and their practices to fulfill the expectations in Canada. Chinese immigrant families tried transplanting instead of uprooting Chinese culture, and acculturating instead of assimilating into Western culture. Chinese immigrant families chose to lean towards Chinese or Western culture according to specific situations and personal perceptions. Folk theory of Chinese immigrant families’ educational expectations was constructed in Chinese cultural model because the way Chinese immigrant parents and children “see” things and “do” things regarding educational issues in Canada were strongly influenced by Chinese cultural model. Implications for policy makers and educators were presented in the following aspects: improve the connections between parents and schools through multiple conversation channels and partnerships; promote a variety of occupation choices in different ethnic populations; pay more attention to Chinese immigrant students’ psychological health and well-being; and provide instructions that are meaningful and affirming to the cultural identities of students with diverse immigrant backgrounds. Future research directions were suggested concerning what might be done to continue improving the understanding of immigrants’ educational expectations in a wider and deeper sense.

Thesis advisor: Stephanie Berzin / In industrial organizational psychology, there is a well-established link between worker job satisfaction and worker engagement in their job. Similarly, research has found an association between a parent’s satisfaction with their child’s education services and a parent’s level of involvement in their child’s education. Levels of family involvement in their child’s education as early as preschool have been correlated with positive academic and behavioral outcomes throughout childhood. This line of research posits that families who are satisfied with their child’s education services are more likely to be involved in their child’s education and, consequentially, their children are more likely to have positive academic and behavioral outcomes. According to the theories proposed by industrial organization psychology and education research, this dissertation explores the potential links between satisfaction and involvement in Head Start services among U.S. born and immigrant families. To begin to understand the potential connection between satisfaction with services, engagement in services and the unique experiences of the immigrant communities in Head Start, this collection of three studies seeks to employ a mix of primary quantitative data and secondary quantitative data to examine satisfaction with and involvement in services among U.S. born and immigrant families in Head Start. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2017. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Social Work. / Discipline: Social work.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2008. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 105-123). Also available in ProQuest, free to University of Oregon users.

Using cross-cultural and cultural perspectives, this thesis investigated ideals of parenting and the relations between parenting mismatches and youth adjustment in a sample of adolescents from Chinese immigrant families and Canadian non-immigrant families. Asian traditional parenting techniques have been linked to both positive and negative outcomes in Asian immigrant youth. This study sought to clarify these mixed findings by focusing on adolescent interpretations of parenting, specifically their opinions of how parents should behave, which is referred to as parenting ideals. Parental behaviours of warmth, reasoning, monitoring, and harsh discipline were investigated. Results indicated that adolescents from Chinese immigrant families and Canadian adolescents desired similar levels of these parenting behaviours from their fathers and mothers, with the exception of harsh discipline behaviours. Amongst Chinese adolescents, some findings supported the hypothesis that cultural orientation is related to parenting ideals. Parenting mismatches, or discrepancies between actual and ideal parenting, were hypothesized to be related to more depressive symptoms and lower self-esteem. Findings supported this hypothesis in the dimensions of parental warmth and monitoring, but not reasoning. Low endorsement of perceptions, ideals, and mismatches in harsh discipline precluded strong conclusions about this parenting dimension. Directions for future research and implications for parent education and clinical settings were discussed. / Graduate / 0621 / vivienso@uvic.ca

"Family unity" is often upheld as the principle of U.S. immigration policy, central to the making and self-understanding of the U.S. as a "nation of immigrants." However, family-based immigration system was only born of struggles of immigrant families against the regime of restriction. As the era of open immigration ended in the U.S. in 1921, there emerged a fundamental tension between claims of immigrant families and the regime of immigration restriction. Much of what current immigration law recognizes as family, or how it matters, originated in the post-1921 era, born out of struggles by immigrant families. This dissertation examines the period between 1921 and 1978 from two perspectives. One is as an era of the three-tiered regulatory system created in the 1920s that lasted until the 1960s to the 1970s: 1) quotas restriction applied to European immigrants 2) exclusion of Asian immigrants, and 3) administrative regulation of immigration from Mexico without a firm ceiling. Another is as the formative years of contemporary immigration control that lasts today. The three-tiered system marked by explicit ethno-racial hierarchization closed first in 1965 by abolition of the quotas system in the Eastern Hemisphere, and finally in 1978 when Congress placed all countries including the Western Hemisphere under a worldwide ceiling. But the end of the quotas era was not a return to an era of open immigration, but an onset of alternative form of immigration restriction and regulation. With particular attention to linkage between ideas about family and ethno-racial composition of the U.S., the dissertation will discuss how claims of family, selective admission and restriction of family immigration, created, reinforced, and unmade the three-tiered immigration restriction regime. To date there has been no comprehensive historical study of the concept of the "family" in immigration law -- how it is defined, who is eligible as a family member and who is not, under what conditions families may be united or separated, and how family-based policies varied according to ethno-racial origin. This lack has resulted in a static and naturalized view of the family rather than a dynamic and contested concept in immigration law and policy. This dissertation explains the changes in definitions of family in immigration, deportation, and nationality law during the quotas era, shows how they are the product of challenges raised by immigrant families, and how they were inherited to the era of formally neutral and at the same time global immigration restriction.

This dissertation investigated the relations between values-based acculturation and conceptualizations of internalized distress among immigrant Chinese Canadian families with adolescents. Parents and adolescents were classified into one of three primary acculturation profiles (separated, integrated, or assimilated), according to Berry's (1997) model of acculturation based on their endorsement of Chinese and Western cultural values. Confirmatory factor analyses were used to determine if the factor structure of measures of internalized distress (e.g., the CES-D) differed according to individual's acculturation profile. Next, multivariate analyses of variance were used to compare the proportion of various symptom types (somatic, affective, interpersonal, low positive affect) across acculturation profiles, as well as with a comparison sample of non-immigrant families. Finally, hierarchical regression analyses were used to assess the relations between the proportion of somatic symptoms reported and both cultural and demographic variables believed to increase one's susceptibility to experience stigma related to mental health symptoms. As hypothesized, the traditional Western four-factor model of the CES-D fit best for participants who endorsed high levels of Canadian values and low levels of Chinese values (i.e., those classified as assimilated). Both the Western four-factor and more holistic three-factor models showed acceptable model fit for individuals who endorsed both Canadian and Chinese values highly (i.e., those classified as integrated), and neither model fit the data among participants who endorsed low levels of Canadian values and high levels of Chinese values (i.e., those classified as separated). Contrary to hypotheses, parents and adolescents from non-immigrant families endorsed higher proportions of somatic symptoms compared to their immigrant counterparts. Furthermore, among immigrant Chinese Canadians, factors believed to lead to less reporting of somatic symptoms because of less perceived stigma (e.g., greater endorsement of Canadian values, younger age, longer time in Canada) were instead related to higher proportions of somatic symptoms. These unexpected findings were understood in the context of the cultural appropriateness of the specific somatic symptoms assessed by the CES-D. The expected pattern of group differences in the proportion of positive affect was found. Females reported a higher proportion of affective symptoms compared to males, and no acculturation-based or gender differences were found with respect to interpersonal symptoms. Several key implications emerged from the results of this dissertation. The value in grouping participants by cultural value endorsement rather than cultural background was demonstrated, in terms of both research and clinical practice. Future research could employ qualitative methods for a more nuanced understanding of how individuals conceptualize the various cultures that influence their perceptions of health, illness, and stigma. In terms of clinical practice, the importance of assessing cultural values in relation to symptom reporting was discussed, as well as the importance of ensuring front line health care professionals have the training needed to identify cultural variations in the reporting of distress. / Graduate

The adjustment of immigrants has been an important area of research over the past few decades. The current literature on immigrants’ psychological adjustment typically focuses on identifying specific contextual, interpersonal, and intrapersonal risks that contribute to negative adjustment. However, the mechanisms through which maladjustment occurs are less well-understood. In addition, less research has focused on understanding immigrants’ hopes, aspirations, and expectations for themselves and the extent to which they are meeting these ideals. According to existing literature on psychological incongruence, failure to fulfill one’s ideals can trigger dejection-related feelings, such as shame, and these feelings are closely connected with negative psychological adjustment. In collectivistic cultures such as the Chinese culture, where much of an individual’s identity is dependent on close relationships, incongruence can be conceptualized both within an individual (e.g., I failed to achieve my ideals) and in relation to one’s significant other (e.g., My child failed to achieve my ideals for him/her). Informed by theories of psychological incongruence, this dissertation aimed to study Chinese immigrant parents’ psychological adjustment, focusing on incongruence in two broad domains: 1) occupational and educational achievement; and 2) cultural adjustment, as well as incongruence within oneself and in relation to one’s child. The general hypothesis was that incongruence between ideal and actual functioning across the domains studied would predict a decrease in psychological adjustment over time, as represented by lower self-esteem and higher depressive symptoms. Participants were 182 Chinese immigrant families (mothers, fathers, and adolescent-aged children) residing in British Columbia, assessed twice with 18 months apart. A combination of polynomial regression with response surface analysis and linear multiple regression methods were used to evaluate the extent to which the direction and magnitude of congruence and incongruence between ideal and actual functioning predicted change in parents’ psychological adjustment over time. Results provided partial support for the hypothesized relations, particularly within the domains of Chinese parents’ own Canadian acculturation and their children’s academic functioning. Support was also found within the domain of parents’ own occupational functioning, but this was the case only for mothers. The hypothesized relations within the domain of children’s Chinese cultural orientation were generally not supported. Overall, the results highlight the importance of understanding immigrant adults’ adjustment process using a goodness-of-fit, family-oriented approach. Clinicians and settlement workers are encouraged to consider cultural and personal ideals when supporting immigrants in their adjustment process, as well as fostering successful coping with the incongruence that can arise in parent-child dyads. Finally, immigration policies should continue to address structural barriers that prevent immigrants from achieving their ideals, such as in the domain of employment. / Graduate

Compared to non-immigrant families of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), immigrant families tend to experience more challenges securing an evaluation, obtaining a diagnosis, and accessing services for their child/children diagnosed with ASD. Several studies investigated the experiences of various groups of immigrant families. They found that the delays can be attributed to cultural differences in the way families interpret the meaning of ASD and their perceptions of the causes and treatment for ASD. Additionally, a lack of knowledge about ASD and fear of the stigma associated with ASD impacted immigrant parents' willingness to seek a diagnosis. However, few studies examined how Caribbean immigrants living in the United States experience a diagnosis of ASD for their child/children. This qualitative study explored Caribbean immigrant families' perceptions and experiences with ASD. A semi-structured, in-depth interview was used to collect data on families' experiences about symptoms, causes, and treatments of ASD, as well as their sources of support. The data were coded and analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA. Four themes were identified and discussed: A new world, emotional and physical burden caring for a child with ASD, attitudes about ASD in native cultures, and adapting to the new situation.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / This pilot study examines the use of the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program by the Burmese population in Indianapolis, Indiana. A significant number of Burmese people migrated to the Indianapolis area starting in 2004. Many of them are families with young children and are enrolled in the WIC program. Language barriers and cultural differences make it more difficult for the WIC program to meet the needs of these families. To what extent is the WIC program meeting their needs? To answer this question, Burmese WIC participants enrolled in the Marion County WIC program were invited to participate in this study. Study participants received a survey at the time of their appointment at the WIC office. The survey included questions that focus on how the Burmese people feel about the foods provided and the nutrition education they receive on the program. Of the 30 study participants, 28 of them or 93.3% reported WIC as being very helpful. Some foods were reported as not being utilized as frequently by the Burmese population on the WIC program, including tortillas, brown rice, and whole wheat pasta. In addition, twenty six of the 30 participants or 86.7% reported the nutrition education they receive on WIC as being very helpful. Participants reported learning many new things through WIC nutrition education including how best to feed their infants and children, as well as breastfeeding being the best for their babies.

Past research on the impacts of acculturation gaps among immigrant family members has yielded inconclusive results potentially due to inconsistent analytical methods, lack of consideration of family processes, and discrepant conceptualizations of acculturation. With a sample of 161 Chinese Canadian immigrant families, the current study adopted a person-centred approach with a family lens to examine the nature of acculturation gaps and how these gaps were associated with family functioning and individual psychological adjustment. Latent profile analyses were utilized to generate mother-father-child acculturation profiles based on individual reports of acculturation (in the domains of cultural identity and value, separately) from mothers, fathers, and children in the same family. The results identified five family acculturation profiles in the identity domain and four family acculturation profiles in the value domain. Parents’ cultural disengagement was linked to the most positive psychological wellbeing and family relationships for all family members. The expected acculturation gaps in the Canadian host dimension were not found to be associated with the most depressive symptoms or family conflicts, suggesting that acculturation gaps where adolescents were more acculturated to the host culture than their parents may be normative in immigrant families and thus not linked to youth maladjustment. In contrast, the reversed acculturation gaps in the host dimension and the expected acculturation gaps in the heritage dimension were consistently found to be associated with family conflicts and individual psychological distress. The results also revealed an undifferentiated acculturation style that was not outlined in Berry’s model. An undifferentiated style was characterized by average acculturation levels on both the heritage and host dimensions, and it was the most prevalent individual acculturation style in the identity domain and the second most prevalent style in the value domain. Directions for future research and the benefits of using a person-centered approach in the research of acculturation gaps are discussed. / Graduate / 2023-09-06