Family Functioning of Child-Rearing Japanese Families on Family-Accompanied Work Assignments in Hong Kong

Abstract

Although the number of employees on overseas assignments accompanied by their families has increased steadily, little is known about the effects of this experience on family functioning. Japanese families on family-accompanied assignments living in Hong Kong were compared with families living in Japan (consisting of 135 and 248 paired partners, respectively). Applying an ecological framework, family functioning was examined using the Feetham Family Functioning Survey-Japanese (FFFS-J). Japanese wives living in Hong Kong rated family functioning lower, particularly in the area of "relationship between family and family members." Between paired marital partners living in Hong Kong, the level of satisfaction in the area of "relationship between family and society" was significantly lower for wives than for husbands. This study provides application of the family ecological framework in families in a multicultural environment and identifies potential areas for family assessment and intervention that may of interest to health care professionals who care for families living away from their home countries.