Parenting Attitudes and Practices of Immigrant Chinese Mothers of Adolescents

Abstract

Immigrant Chinese Mothers of Adolescents* Jean Cheng Gorman** Chinese parenting has historically been seen as more than mainstream American culture. Recent research suggests that authoritarian parenting may be a Western concept that does not accurately depict Chinese socialization. This exploratory study sought qualitative information on the parenting style of Chinese immigrants. Results revealed central themes of watchful and subtle influence to conform with parental expectations. These expectations arose from parents' desires for their children to succeed and be good people. Thus, aspects of Chinese parenting that have traditionally been ascribed to an style may stem from an entirely different set of parenting attitudes and beliefs that are culturally-based. Key Words: authoritarian, Chinese, immigrant, parenting style. The United States is currently experiencing tremendous growth in the proportion of ethnic minorities. A sizable percentage of this growth can be attributed to increasing numbers of immigrants (Sue, Arredondo, & McDavis, 1992). In New York alone, the percentage of immigrants in the young adult population has increased from 11.4% in 1970 to 32% in 1990 (Krauss, 1995). Census data indicates that the fastest growing minority group is Asian Americans, largely due to changes in immigration laws (Sue et al., 1992). These changing demographics have repercussions on the larger society, as cultural beliefs have been found to impact behavior by affecting life outlook and goals (Strauss, 1992). One area in which the influence of culture is apparent is in parenting. Research suggests that significant qualitative differences in parenting styles exist (Chao, 1994; Chiu, 1987). Thus, an important area of inquiry regarding Asian immigrants is family dynamics, particularly the parenting of immigrant youth. Research has indicated that Chinese parenting differs qualitatively from mainstream American parenting in a number of ways. For example, Hsu (1971) discussed the Chinese concept of jen, where an individual's interpersonal interactions are emphasized above internal qualities in understanding one's personality. Chao (1995) found a similar interpersonal orientation in parenting. In her research, Chinese mothers emphasized their children's relationships with others rather than their children's psychological attributes. This overall orientation is qualitatively different from views held by mainstream American culture, where individuality is stressed and individuals are viewed in terms of personality traits. Another unique element of Chinese parenting is the focus on parental respect and obedience (Chao, 1995; Ho, 1976; Ho, 1989). Some authors have found differential treatment of boys and girls, with stricter discipline and expectations being applied to sons (Ho, 1989). Chinese parents have also been cited as emphasizing education as the avenue to social mobility (Chao, 1995, p. 341; Chen & Uttal, 1988). However, some researchers have found differences in parenting within subgroups of the Chinese, suggesting that general findings should not necessarily be applied to all Chinese and Chinese-American parents (Berndt, Cheung, Lau, Hau, & Lew, 1993). In addition to studies investigating the unique aspects of Chinese parenting, comparative studies of American and Chinese parents have also been conducted. Baumrind's (1968) conceptualization of authoritarian, authoritative, and permissive parenting styles has often been used to study parenting of different ethnic groups in the U. S.: . . . an authoritarian parent attempts to shape, control, and evaluate the behavior and attitudes of the child in accordance with a set standard of conduct . . . she values obedience as a virtue and favors punitive, forceful measures to curb self-will at points where the child's actions or beliefs conflict with what she thinks is right conduct. (p. 261) In contrast, an authoritative parent directs the child's activities . …