Aspects of Parenting and the Well-Being of Emerging Adult Language Brokers

Abstract

The outcomes of language brokering may be shaped by parents and parent–child interactions for language brokers into emerging adulthood. For emerging adults, past parenting may differ by frequency of language brokering and contribute to brokers' well-being. In this study, 2,473 emerging adults (female = 1,719, male = 746, did not indicate = 8) with two foreign-born parents completed measures of language-brokering frequency, parenting, and well-being. Frequent language brokers reported lower levels of paternal nurturance, paternal connection, maternal nurturance, and maternal connection, and higher levels of maternal disrespect, in comparison to non-brokers. Infrequent language brokers reported lower levels of paternal connection, maternal nurturance, and maternal connection, and higher levels of paternal disrespect, paternal psychological control, maternal disrespect, and maternal psychological control, in comparison to non-brokers. Frequent language brokers indicated higher levels of depressive symptoms in comparison to non-brokers. The combination of frequent language brokering, paternal psychological control, and maternal psychological control were predictive of depressive symptoms. Frequent language brokering, female gender, paternal disrespect, paternal psychological control, and maternal psychological control were predictive of anxiety symptoms. Language brokering did not predict overall psychological well-being.