“Our differences don’t separate us”: Immigrant families navigate intrafamilial acculturation gaps through diverse resilience processes.

Abstract

In light of mixed findings regarding the valence of outcomes associated with acculturation gaps in mixed-generation immigrant families, this research adopted a qualitative methodology to explore the rich complexity of acculturation gaps and their navigation. Through multiple individual, dyadic, and family semistructured interviews with 2 mixed-generation Salvadoran immigrant families living in the United States, this study explored the ways in which families (a) described and understood their acculturation gaps, (b) determined whether gaps were benign, potentially problematic, or useful for the family, and (c) navigated gaps depending on their determined valence. The individual and family narratives were analyzed through constructivist grounded theory, guided by the theories of acculturation gap-distress (Lau et al., 2005; Portes & Rumbaut, 1996) and family resilience (Walsh, 2003). This research revealed that acculturation gaps can exist among all family members and that although families described gaps in terms of differences in overt behavioral practices, only those discrepant practices that were related to underlying value or identification differences were considered potentially problematic. The families were seen to use their belief systems, organizational patterns, communication and problem-solving strategies, and methods of escape to effectively navigate these gaps in 18 diverse ways depending upon the gaps’ valences. This study suggests that (a) a family resilience model can be applied to the study of acculturation gaps, (b) expansion of such model as applied to acculturation gaps may be indicated, and (c) such model may provide insight into why some families with acculturation gaps experience negative outcomes whereas others flourish.