Family acculturation in host and immigrant couples: Dyadic research in an Italian context

Rania, Nadia; María, Laura; Rebora, Stefania

doi:10.5964/ejop.v14i4.1553

Cited by 8 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…No prior study could be found seeking to benefit from this. Italy was the primary target for collection of data because migrants represent around 9% of the Italian population, and tend to opt for an integrative cultural orientation [ 22 ]. In fact, intermarriages including one native represent around 10% of its total marriages [ 23 ].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Examining acculturation in mixed-couples to test cultural transmission mechanisms

Machado¹,

Giner‐Sorolla²

2022

PLoS ONE

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The project sought to understand the factors which underlie cultural transmission, adapting self-reported methods from cross-cultural psychology and sociology to test the external validity of several constructs from existing evolutionary models. The target population were native-foreigner mixed-couples, allowing the analyses to benefit from asymmetrical cultural inputs. Sampling took place in Italy and Portugal, with recruitment relying on social networks, online newspapers, friends, organizations, universities, parishes, and embassies. The questionnaire was personally delivered or filled online. The validated variables were: contact with a population in which the majority endorses the culture being acquired, the relative quantity of friends from that culture, the perceived relationship quality with the companion, affective ties with one’s own family, and the desire and emotional components behind the culture-transmission motive (a concept similar to cultural conservatism). An unexpected strong, positive association between both cultural identities was found. Thus, it was suggested that these participants adopted an integrative orientation, allowing both cultural identities to blend, whereas most research so far focuses on assimilation scenarios. Overall, acculturation was driven by either conformity to the majority or random learning, without discarding the influence of preferred demonstrators, and the emotional bounds embedded in the individual’s cultural identity. Acculturation proved to be flexible and potentially changing according to the cultural trait being examined.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Examining acculturation in mixed-couples to test cultural transmission mechanisms

Machado¹,

Giner‐Sorolla²

2022

PLoS ONE

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“…In cross-cultural psychology-the discipline informing this study and most of the literature reviewed here-acculturation refers to changes in language, identity, values, and behaviors resulting from living in a new cultural environment (Berry 2006;Schwartz et al 2010). Even though migrant couples typically largely agree on the acculturation strategies they should adopt (Rania, Migliorini and Rebora 2018), discrepancies exist in how partners respectively experience settlement in the new country and in how they individually adapt to it. These discrepancies, or post-immigration gaps, can play a key role in couples' postimmigration adaptation, especially when they are related to gender role values (Grzywacz et al 2009;Cruz et al 2014;Accordini, Giuliani and Gennari 2018) or motivation and acculturation (Ben-David and Lave´e 1994;Kisselev, Brown and Brown 2010;Kanat-Maymon et al 2016).…”

Section: Immigration and Couple Relationshipsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shared immigration process, different perspectives: The impact of immigration-related gaps on couple relationships

Rapaport

Doucerain

2021

Migration Studies

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Improving couples’ immigration experience requires characterizing aspects of the immigration process that affect couple relationships. Past research has set forth that post-immigration gaps between partners (discrepancies in their respective cultural adaptation) represent a key aspect. Accordingly, the present research investigated what kind of post-immigration gaps impact migrants’ couple relationship following immigration and how they do so. We used a qualitative dyadic research design, including in-depth open-ended interviews with each partner separately. This design allowed us to understand the experience of migrant couples at the dyadic level. The most notable challenges for couples were related to gaps in employment, finances, legal status, and satisfaction. Gaps led to conflicts in four situations: when one partner felt a lack of support from, or quality time with the other partner; when one partner experienced economic pressure because of his–her gender role values; when one partner had sole responsibility for his–her family stability and legal status in the host country; and when partners did not manage to make joint decisions when facing disagreement.

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“…Referring, therefore, to this corpus of literature, we believe that the concept of "doing family" can be extended to those refugee families who face a non-regular life path with atypical developments compared to those who remain in their home-country. In fact, in the literature, migrant families have been studied as they adapt to their new context: this implies a redefinition of roles and parenting competences as well as a rethinking of daily routines and symbolic meanings attributed to rituals experienced in contexts distant from where the migrants were born (Migliorini et al, 2016;Rania et al, 2015;Rania et al, 2018aRania et al, , 2018bRania et al, 2019;Strasser et al, 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Parenting in migration: Critical aspects and challenges of “doing family” of refugee families and social workers

Rania

Pinna

Coppola

2021

Journal of Social Work

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Summary Although migrant families comprise a small number of immigrants, they present a significant challenge for the host community. In the Italian context, social services support migrant families through paths to autonomy and integration in the community. The purpose of this study was to investigate perceptions that families and social workers have of “parenting” and “doing family” (training and management of family identity, roles and daily practices) in the complexity of migration. The study involved 15 immigrant parental couples, using family interview techniques and 12 social workers in 3 mini-focus groups. The collected materials were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using grounded theory. Findings The main results are identified and discussed as strengths, critical points and challenges. Some of the themes such as “willingness to work” or “lack of job opportunities” are common to both family members and social workers. Other themes are relevant to one group only. Among these, “availability and support of social workers” only emerged among families, whereas “education and respecting the rules” only emerged among social workers. Applications The results indicate that it is necessary for social workers to engage in a meaningful helping relationship with families, build networks of inclusion services, and also with the support of mediators overcome linguistic and cultural barriers. Social workers should involve families throughout he integration process. Furthermore, social services must also consider how families experience the difficulty of relating to social workers, which represents an obstacle to support for social integration.

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Family acculturation in host and immigrant couples: Dyadic research in an Italian context

Cited by 8 publications

References 48 publications

Examining acculturation in mixed-couples to test cultural transmission mechanisms

Examining acculturation in mixed-couples to test cultural transmission mechanisms

Shared immigration process, different perspectives: The impact of immigration-related gaps on couple relationships

Parenting in migration: Critical aspects and challenges of “doing family” of refugee families and social workers

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