The Complexities of Parental Control Among Chinese American Mothers: The Role of Acculturation

Abstract

The meaning and function of parental control may vary across different cultures. Acculturation may motivate immigrant parents to modify their parenting in order to achieve effectiveness with their childrearing practices. Nevertheless, the associations between acculturation and parenting in Chinese American families are inconclusive. We explored 80 first-generation Chinese immigrant mothers’ conceptualizations of control in the United States using interviews. Findings revealed cultural priorities in these mothers’ rationale for and method of exerting control over their young children that reflected the psychological/emotional interdependence family pattern. We also examined the associations between mother-reports psychological and behavioral acculturation toward their heritage and the mainstream cultures and their reasons for and strategies of exerting control. Mothers’ psychological acculturation and behavioral acculturation toward their heritage versus mainstream culture were differentially associated with their reasons and practices. Suggestions for future research to build upon our understanding of parental control in Chinese American populations were discussed.