A vehicle for positive acculturation

Abstract

Cultural diversity in Hong Kong has increased dramatically following a series of reforms in population and immigration policies after the unification of Hong Kong in 1997. Since then, cultural clashes between Hong Kong locals and mainland Chinese people have become one of the major social issues in Hong Kong. While intercultural clashes between people from different countries have been widely researched, those between people from different regions of the same country are rarely studied. Homogenizing and overlooking intergroup cultural clashes contribute to misunderstandings toward different cultures and resolving these clashes through social policies and services. Cultural research indicates that stereotyped beliefs are transmitted intergenerationally. Policy responses seek to nurture a harmonized society where perceived differences are respected and understood, rather than merely acknowledged. This study adopts narrative inquiry to examine the dynamics of acculturation, social identity, and intergroup contact among local and migrant parents and to explore avenues for promoting positive acculturation amid diversity. We observed four parents from mainland China and three local Hong Kong parents with children aged 4–13 who attended two discussion sessions about parenting. The findings revealed that promoting positive acculturation via parenting education is effective in promoting psychological adaptation at the individual level and reducing intergroup stereotypes at a cultural level. Training parenting educators in facilitating positive acculturation policies and programs for both sides are discussed.