Intergenerational discrepancies of parental control among Chinese American families: Links to family conflict and adolescent depressive symptoms

Abstract

This study investigated how discrepancies between adolescents’ and parents’ endorsement of parental control contribute to adolescent depressive symptoms. Family conflict was hypothesized to mediate the link between parent–adolescent discrepancies and depressive symptoms. The sample consisted of 166 pairs of Chinese American adolescents and their parents. The results indicated that, as predicted, greater discrepancies between adolescents and their parents on parental control related to greater adolescent depressive symptoms. Furthermore, adolescent's perceived degree of family conflict partially mediated this relation. Both parents and adolescents are changing and adapting to their cultural contexts; some in synchrony and some not. Identifying areas where parents and adolescents diverge concerning values, behaviors, and beliefs, is an important avenue to understanding Chinese American adolescents’ mental health.

Mediating effect of intergenerational family conflict between perceived parental warmth and depressive symptoms

“…The findings suggested a negative impact of low parental warmth and high intergenerational family conflict on depressive symptoms among Korean American adolescents. This result was consistent with previous reports (Cho and Bae, 2005;Juang et al, 2007;Kim and Cain, 2008;Park, 2003).…”

“…The role of a mediator explains why and how such outcomes occur between independent and dependent variables. As a study reported, IFC partially mediated parental control on depressive symptoms among Chinese American adolescents (Juang et al, 2007); it is possible that IFC mediates between perceived parental warmth and depressive symptoms in the current study. In other words, if Korean American adolescents perceive less warmth from their parents, they may have a high level of IFC.…”

“…Intergenerational family conflict was associated with psychological adjustment and depressive symptoms, which may continue into adulthood among Asian American adolescents (Herrenkohl et al, 2009;Juang et al, 2007;Qin et al, 2012). Since Korean American parents have similar Asian American cultural values, a high level of intergenerational family conflict occurs in Korean American families (Chung, 2001;Kim et al, 2001;Tai-Chae and Nagata, 2008).…”

Expanding the Acculturation Gap-Distress Model: An Integrative Review of Research

“…Additionally, 6 studies combined host cultural gap higher with host cultural gap lower and/or native cultural gap higher with native cultural gap lower to test whether a gap in the host culture differs from a gap in the native culture [Elder, Broyles, Brennan, Zuniga de Nuncio, & Nader, 2005;Martinez, 2006;Phinney & Ong, 2002;Phinney & Veddar, 2006;Sam & Virta, 2003 Fa mily member respondent refers to the family member, in addition to the child/adolescent participant, who reported their acculturation level; number indicates the sample size of the study; cultural dimension refers to whether the measure takes a unidimensional or bidimensional approach and the culture of acculturation being measured (host culture vs. native culture); cultural domain refers to the particular aspects of acculturation that are being measured and whether the measure combines all domains into a global index of acculturation, independently examines multiple domains, or measures a single domain; calculation refers to how the acculturation gap was Expanding the Acculturation Gap-Distress Model 323 Human Development 2010;53:313-340 Chen, 1999]. Finally, 2 studies examined only 1 of the 4 types of gaps [Juang, Syed, & Takagi, 2007;Zhou, 2001]. …”

Depression Risks and Correlates among Different Generations of Chinese Americans: The Effects of Relationships with Friends and Relatives

“…Also, the author was not able to include several important factors, including perceived discrimination, family cohesion, and family conflicts in my analyses because of the lack of data on these measures from the non-Hispanic white sample. Previous studies have found the effects of these factors on mental well-being among Asian American populations to be significant yet nuanced, and the findings were less than consistent for the potential reasons regarding sampling frames and strategies Juang et al 2007). It should also be noted that over three quarters of the Chinese Americans in the study sample were first generation immigrants, which has skewed the findings among second and third-or-higher generation Chinese Americans.…”