Date of Award

August 2019

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Human Development and Family Science

Advisor(s)

Matthew K. Mulvaney

Keywords

acculturation, Chinese immigrant mothers, individualism/collectivism, parenting cognition, parenting involvement, parenting stress

Subject Categories

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Abstract

Cultural cognitions have been shown to have important implications for parenting cognitions, behaviors and adjustment across cultures. However, few studies have examined the associations between cultural cognitions and parenting in acculturating Chinese communities. This study explored the following research questions among acculturating Chinese mothers in the United States: 1) How parents’ sense of investment is determined by acculturation processes and its importance for parental involvement; 2) the relationships between parental satisfaction, individualism/collectivism and parenting stress; 3) the moderating role of acculturation on the relationship between grandparent support and parenting stress; 4) the moderating role of gender and acculturation on the relationship between child difficult behavior and parenting stress. Data were collected from 256 Chinese immigrant mothers with children under age 5 using online surveys. The results demonstrated that parental role involvement and distress are influenced by Chinese identification and collectivism through their impact on parenting cognitions (investment and satisfaction). The analysis also revealed that mothers’ Chinese identity moderates the association between grandparent support and parenting stress, and the association between child difficult behavior and parenting stress in Chinese immigrant mothers. The finding advanced the research on parenting in acculturating parents, and demonstrated the pathways through which cultural cognitions may impact the parenting experiences of Chinese mothers undergoing acculturation in the United States.

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Open Access

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