No abstract

This qualitative study examined the experiences of Asian international graduate students and spouses with children at a university in the U.S. Participants (n=31) from China, Korea, the Philippines, and Taiwan were interviewed regarding their stressors. Some stressors were identified in the answers of the group as a whole: (a) adjustment to a new culture; (b) feeling overwhelmed; (c) language difficulty; (d) feelings of isolation; (e) financial stress; and (f) marital stress. Stressors found only in the answers of the students were: (a) balancing multiple roles; (b) adjusting to the academic culture; (c) finding child care; and, among male students, d) worrying about the non-student spouse. Stressors unique to nonstudent spouses included: (a) loss of roles and status; (b) power imbalance in the couple relationships; and (c) feeling inadequate. Implications for research and practice with international graduate student parents/spouses are provided.

This study tested whether maternal sensitivity and child security are related during early childhood and whether such an association is found in different cultural and social contexts. Mother-child dyads (N = 237) from four different countries (Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and the United States) were observed in naturalistic settings when children were between 36 and 72 months of age. Maternal and child behavior during interactions at home and in the playground were described using Q methodology. Findings reveal that across cultures, concurrent maternal sensitivity and more specific behavioral domains of maternal care (e.g., contributions to harmonious interactions and secure base support) are important for children's attachment security during early childhood. Implications for the study of attachment relationships beyond infancy and in diverse contexts are highlighted.