Foreign-born Parents Research Articles

Psychometric characteristics of a modified Sympathy-Acceptance-Understanding-Caring competence model questionnaire among foreign-born parents encountering nurses in primary child health care services.

To determine the psychometric properties of the Sympathy-Acceptance-Understanding-Caring Competence (SAUC) model questionnaire for foreign-born parents evaluating nursing encounters in the Swedish Primary Child Health Care (PCHC) services. Multicultural encounters in child health care from the nursing perspective are challenging and problematic worldwide. A suitable theory-based and validated questionnaire is needed for foreign-born parents to assess the quality of their encounters with nurses. The SAUC questionnaire, modified for use by new, foreign-born parents using the Swedish PCHC services, was evaluated for its congruence with the theory of Confirming Encounter. The study was ethically approved and data were collected between March and August 2009 from 83 new, foreign-born parents seen at 50 clinics. Exploratory factor analysis was used to identify related factors, and goodness-of-fit tests were used to estimate theoretical consistency. Confirmatory Factor Analysis was used to verify the results. The questionnaire had satisfactory theoretical consistency with the theory of Confirming Encounter. Three factors identified by exploratory factor analysis and confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis - person support, self-support, and self-perspective support - indicated internal consistency and validated the three factors implicit in the theory Confirming Encounter. In addition, a new factor, concordance, was identified that is compatible with the theory. To conclude, despite the fact that a modified questionnaire have its limitations results demonstrate that the SAUC-model questionnaire seems to be a reliable and valid nursing quality-control measure with which foreign-born parents can evaluate the qualities of a confirming encounter with nurses. However, we suggest the need for testing the questionnaire in a larger population.

The Role of Intrinsic Motivation in the Pursuit of Health Science-Related Careers among Youth from Underrepresented Low Socioeconomic Populations.

A more diverse health science-related workforce including more underrepresented race/ethnic minorities, especially from low socioeconomic backgrounds, is needed to address health disparities in the USA. To increase such diversity, programs must facilitate youth interest in pursuing a health science-related career (HSRC). Minority youth from low socioeconomic families may focus on the secondary gains of careers, such as high income and status, given their low socioeconomic backgrounds. On the other hand, self-determination theory suggests that it is the intrinsic characteristics of careers which are most likely to sustain pursuit of an HSRC and lead to job satisfaction. Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation for pursuing an HSRC (defined in this study as health professional, health scientist, and medical doctor) was examined in a cohort of youth from the 10th to 12th grade from 2011 to 2013. The sample was from low-income area high schools, had a B- or above grade point average at baseline, and was predominantly: African American (65.7 %) or Hispanic (22.9 %), female (70.1 %), and children of foreign-born parents (64.7 %). In longitudinal general estimating equations, intrinsic motivation (but not extrinsic motivation) consistently predicted intention to pursue an HSRC. This finding provides guidance as to which youth and which qualities of HSRCs might deserve particular attention in efforts to increase diversity in the health science-related workforce.

Editorial: Ethno-cultural diversity and contemporary national societies

Editorial: Ethno-cultural diversity and contemporary national societies

Effect of immigration background and country-of-origin contextual factors on adolescent substance use in Spain

PurposeThe effects of adolescent- and parental-birthplace and country-of-origin contextual factors on substance use among adolescents with recent immigrant background (ARIBs) are poorly understood. We aimed to assess these effects and identify the main mediating factors in Spain. MethodsParticipants were 12,432 ARIBs (≥1 foreign-born parent) and 75,511 autochthonous adolescents from pooled 2006–2010 school surveys. Outcomes were prevalence of use of alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, stimulants and sedative-hypnotics. ARIBs were classified by adolescent birthplace (Spain/abroad), whether they had mixed-parents (one Spanish-born and one foreign-born), and country-of-origin characteristics. Adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) and percent change expressing disparities in risk were estimated using Poisson regression with robust variance. ResultsCompared to autochthonous adolescents, foreign-born ARIBs without mixed-parents showed significant aPRs <1 for all substances, which generally approached 1 in Spanish-born ARIBs with mixed-parents. The main factors mediating ARIBs’ lower risk were less frequent socialization in leisure environments and less association with peers who use such substances. ARIBs’ lower risk depended more on country-of-origin characteristics and not having mixed-parents than being foreign-born. Tobacco, cannabis and stimulant use in ARIBs increased with increasing population use of these substances in the country-of-origin. ARIBs from the non-Muslim-regions had a lower risk of using alcohol and higher risk of using sedative-hypnotics than those from the Muslim-region. ConclusionsAmong ARIBs in Spain, parental transmission of norms and values could influence substance use as much as or more than exposure to the Spanish context. Future research should better assess effects of adolescent- and parental-birthplace and country-of-origin contextual factors on substance use.

Immigration and the interplay of parenting, preschool enrollment, and young children's academic skills.

This study tested a conceptual model of the reciprocal relations among parents' support for early learning and children's academic skills and preschool enrollment. Structural equation modeling of data from 6,250 children (Ages 2 to 5) and parents in the nationally representative Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort revealed that parental support for early learning was associated with gains in children's academic skills, which, in turn, were associated with their likelihood of preschool attendance. Preschool experience then was associated with further gains in children's early academic competencies, which were then associated with increased parental support. These patterns varied by parents' nativity status. Specifically, foreign-born parents' support for early learning was directly linked with preschool enrollment, and the association between the academic skills of children and parental support was also stronger for foreign-born parents. These immigration-related patterns were primarily driven by immigrant families who originated from Latin America, rather than Asia, and did not vary by immigrants' socioeconomic circumstances. Together, these results underscore the value of considering the synergistic relations between the home and school systems, as well as "child effects" and population diversity, in developmental research.

Latin American immigrant parents and their children's teachers in U.S. early childhood education programmes.

For many immigrants, their children's schools offer their first sustained interaction with the major societal institutions of their new countries, and so exploring the ways in which immigrant parents manage their children's educational experiences offers insight into how they adapt to new cultural norms, customs and expectations and how they are treated in return. This study delved into the involvement of Latin American immigrant parents in U.S. education, shifting the traditional focus down from elementary and secondary school to early childhood education. Statistical analysis of nationally representative data revealed that Latina immigrants had lower frequencies of most home- and community-based involvement behaviours than U.S.-born and foreign-born parents of varying racial/ethnic backgrounds but higher frequencies of involvement behaviours requiring participation in early childhood education programmes. As a window into these national patterns, qualitative data from an early childhood programme in an immigration-heavy state revealed that Latina immigrant mothers and their children's teachers often talked about each other as partners in supporting children's educational experiences but that their actual interactions tended to socialise mothers into being more passive recipients of teachers' directives.

From parent to child? Transmission of educational attainment within immigrant families: methodological considerations.

One in five U.S. residents under the age of 18 has at least one foreign-born parent. Given the large proportion of immigrants with very low levels of schooling, the strength of the intergenerational transmission of education between immigrant parent and child has important repercussions for the future of social stratification in the United States. We find that the educational transmission process between parent and child is much weaker in immigrant families than in native families and, among immigrants, differs significantly across national origins. We demonstrate how this variation causes a substantial overestimation of the importance of parental education in immigrant families in studies that use aggregate data. We also show that the common practice of "controlling" for family human capital using parental years of schooling is problematic when comparing families from different origin countries and especially when comparing native and immigrant families. We link these findings to analytical and empirical distinctions between group- and individual-level processes in intergenerational transmission.

Social Relationships for Youth and Adolescents within the Korean American Immigrant Church

Some ethnic immigrants socialize around their religious communities. The Korean immigrant church in particular is known to function as a social center where Korean immigrants can perpetuate their cultural and spiritual practices in the U.S. However, few studies have directly focused on the social relationships of younger generations sharing the same space in the church with their parent generations. The main research question is this: How do 1.5-and second-generation Korean-American youths perceive their experience with social relationships in their foreign-born parents’ religious community? The author, through qualitative research methods, examines the experiences shared by American-born or American-raised Korean youths involved in their parents’ religious community. This study will provide a space for discussions about the function of the Korean immigrant church in fostering youths’ socio-cultural development and suggest ways to promote better intergenerational relationships through their time spent together at the immigrant church.

Mortality in adult offspring of immigrants: a Swedish national cohort study.

BackgroundHigher risks of psychiatric disorders and lower-than-average subjective health in adulthood have been demonstrated in offspring of immigrants in Sweden compared with offspring of native Swedes, and linked to relative socioeconomic disadvantage. The present study investigated mortality rates in relation to this inequity from a gender perspective.MethodsWe used data from national registers covering the entire Swedish population aged 18-65 years. Offspring of foreign-born parents who were either Swedish born or had received residency in Sweden before school age (<7 years) were defined as “offspring of immigrants.” We used Cox regression models to examine the association between parental country of birth and mortality between 1990 and 2008, with adjustment for education, income, age and family type.ResultsMale offspring of immigrants from the Middle East (HR:2.00, CI:1.66-2.26), other non-European countries (HR:1.80, CI:1.36-2.36) and Finland (HR:1.56, CI:1.48-1.65) showed an age-adjusted excess mortality risk from all causes of death when compared to offspring with Swedish-born parents. Income, but not education, greatly attenuated these increased mortality risks. No excess mortality rates were found among female offspring of immigrants, with the exception of external cause of death among offspring of Finnish immigrants.ConclusionThe study demonstrates high mortality rates in male offspring of immigrants from Finland and non-European countries that are associated with economic, but not educational, disadvantage. No increased mortality rates were found among female offspring of immigrants. Future studies are needed to explain this gender differential and why income, but not education, predicts mortality in male offspring of immigrants.

Dietary sources of calcium among parents and their early adolescent children in the United States by parent race/ethnicity and place of birth.

Dietary calcium sources may differ by race/ethnicity and dietary acculturation. A cross-sectional, convenience sample including 587 United States (US) Asian, Hispanic and non-Hispanic White parent-child (10-13 years) pairs completed a calcium food frequency questionnaire. Calcium sources were ranked by mean percent contribution to total adjusted calcium intake, and compared by ethnic group and parents' location of birth. Five foods (fluid milk, cheese, milk on cereal, yogurt, and lattes) represented 49% of total calcium intake for parents. The same foods (except lattes) represented 55% of total calcium for early adolescent children. Fluid milk provided the largest mean percentage of intake for all race/ethnic groups among parents and children. Several food sources of calcium were greater for foreign-born versus US-born Asian or Hispanic parents and children. Understanding calcium food sources and changes in dietary patterns that affect calcium intake among parents and children is important to better promote adequate intake.

Birth Outcomes of Foreign‐Born, Native‐Born, and Mixed Couples in Sweden

Many births in industrialised countries are to immigrant parents, or to one immigrant and one domestically born parent. Their newborn outcomes have not been well studied. We conducted a study of 1,690,423 singleton infants born in Sweden between 1987 and 2008, including those of immigrants from East Asia, South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and East Africa. Preterm delivery and small for gestational age (SGA) were assessed among infants of (i) immigrant parents from the same world region, (ii) an immigrant mother and a Swedish-born father, and (iii) a Swedish-born mother and an immigrant father; each compared to (iv) two Swedish-born parents. Log binomial regression analysis generated adjusted risk ratios (ARRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for preterm delivery and SGA. Compared with infants of two Swedish-born parents, infants born to immigrant mothers from East Asia, South Asia, and Sub-Saharan African were at higher risk of preterm delivery (ARR ranging from 1.2 to 1.9), irrespective of whether the father was from the same world region or Swedish-born, with the only exception of East African women, who had lower risk. Infants born to two foreign-born parents had the highest risks of SGA, particularly South Asians (ARR 4.69; 95% CI 4.29, 5.12). Mixed couples exhibited intermediate risks of SGA. Adverse birth outcomes differ according to a couple's ethnic composition. Having a Swedish-born partner is associated with lower risk of SGA among immigrant mothers and fathers, and with lower risk of preterm delivery among immigrant fathers but not mothers.

Asthma in US Mexican-Origin Children in Early Childhood: Differences in Risk and Protective Factors by Parental Nativity

ObjectiveOver 900,000 Mexican-origin children in the United States have asthma, but little is known about the extent to which development of this condition reflects early childhood exposure to social and environmental risks. The objectives of this research are to demonstrate the roles of risk and protective factors in the prevalence and severity of asthma in this population and provide comparisons with other racial/ethnic groups. MethodsNationally representative data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort (n = 6900), with county-level ozone data appended to this file were analyzed using descriptive and multivariate regression methods. ResultsThe odds of asthma diagnosis by 60 months are approximately 50% higher among Mexican-origin children than for non-Hispanic whites (P < .05) in multivariate analyses. Compared to those with foreign-born parents, Mexican-origin children with native-born parents have a lower likelihood of being breast-fed and greater chances of having risks including a family history of asthma, having respiratory illnesses and allergies, living with a smoker, and attending center-based child care. Mexican-origin children live in counties with over 3 times more elevated ozone days annually than non-Hispanic whites. ConclusionsMexican-origin children experience a constellation of risk and protective factors, but those with US-born parents have elevated asthma risks compared to those with foreign-born parents. Asthma incidence and severity will likely increase as this population becomes increasingly integrated into US society.

Two NGO-Run Youth-Centers in Multicultural, Socially Deprived Suburbs in Sweden—Who Are the Participants?

Objective: Leisure-time is an important part of young people’s lives. One way to reduce social differences in health is to improve adolescents’ living conditions, for example by enhancing the quality of after-school activities. Multicultural, socially deprived suburbs have less youth participation in organized leisure-time activities. This study explores who the participants are at two NGO-run youth-centers in multicultural, socially deprived suburbs in Sweden and whether socio-demographic, health-related, and leisure-time factors affect the targeted participation. Methods: The study can be seen as an explanatory mixed-methods study where qualitative data help explain initial quantitative results. The included data are a survey with youth (n = 207), seven individual interviews with staff, and six focus-groups interviews with young people at two youth-centers in two different cities. Results and Conclusions: The participants in the youth-centers are Swedish born youths having foreign-born parents who live with both parents, often in crowded apartments with many siblings. Moreover they feel healthy, enjoy school and have good contact with their parents. It seems that strategies for recruiting youths to youth-centers have a large impact on who participates. One way to succeed in having a more equal gender and ethnicity distribution is to offer youth activities that are a natural step forward from children’s activities. The youth-centers’ proximity is also of importance for participation, in these types of neighborhoods.

Social factors in childhood and risk of depressive symptoms among adolescents--a longitudinal study in Stockholm, Sweden.

BackgroundIn Sweden, self-reported depressive symptoms have increased among young people of both genders, but little is known about social differences in the risk of depressive symptoms among adolescents in welfare states, where such differences can be less pronounced. Therefore, the aim was to investigate whether multiple measures of low social status in childhood affect depressive symptoms in adolescence. A secondary aim was to explore potential gender effect modification.MethodsParticipants were recruited in 1998 for a longitudinal study named BROMS. The study population at baseline consisted of 3020 children, 11–12 years-old, from 118 schools in Stockholm County, followed up through adolescence. This study is based on 1880 adolescents answering the follow-up survey in 2004, at age 17–18 (62% of the initial cohort). Parental education, occupation, country of birth, employment status and living arrangements were reported at baseline, by parents and adolescents. Depressive symptoms were self-reported by the adolescents in 2004, using a 12-item inventory. The associations between childhood social status and depressive symptoms in adolescence are presented as Odds Ratios (OR), estimated through logistic regression. Gender interaction with social factors was estimated through Synergy Index (SI).ResultsIncreased risk of depressive symptoms was found among adolescents whose parents had low education (OR 1.8, CI = 1.1-3.1), were unskilled workers (OR 2.1, CI = 1.2-3.7), intermediate non-manual workers (OR 1.8, CI = 1.0-3.0), or self-employed (OR 2.2, CI = 1.2-3.7), compared to parents with high education and high non-manual work. In addition, adolescents living exclusively with one adult had an increased risk compared to those living with two (OR 2.8, CI = 1.1-7.5), while having foreign-born parents was not associated with depressive symptoms. An interaction effect was seen between gender and social factors, with an increased risk for girls of low-educated parents (SI = 3.4, CI = 1.3-8.9) or living exclusively with one adult (SI = 4.9, CI = 1.4-6.8).ConclusionsThe low social position in childhood may increase the risk of depressive symptoms among adolescents even in countries with small social differences and a highly developed welfare system, such as Sweden. Girls with low educated parents or living exclusively with one adult may be particularly vulnerable. This knowledge is of importance when planning preventive interventions or treatment.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12939-014-0096-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Prevalence of Allergic Disease in Foreign-Born American Children

The goal of this study was to determine whether the prevalence of allergic diseases is lower in foreign-born Americans and if prevalence increases with prolonged residence in the United States.Data were collected for 91 642 children ages 0 to 17 years in the 2007–2008 National Survey of Children’s Health. A total of 79 667 participants were analyzed.Random telephone numbers were selected for administration of the questionnaire, which was conducted in English, Spanish, and 4 Asian languages (Korean, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Vietnamese).Children born outside the United States compared with those born within the United States had significantly lower prevalence of allergic disorders (20.3% vs 34.5%; logistic regression odds ratio [OR]: 0.48 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.38–0.61]; P < .001). Among children born outside the United States, children with foreign-born parents had significantly lower odds of atopic disease than those with US-born parents (18.2% vs 33.4%; logistic regression OR: 0.45 [95% CI: 0.25–0.78]; P = .005). Furthermore, there was an additive effect in which children of 2 foreign-born parents had a lower prevalence of allergic disease than those with 1 foreign-born parent. Among foreign-born children, children who lived in the United States for >10 years, compared with those who resided in the United States for only 0 to 2 years, had significantly higher odds of developing allergic diseases (adjusted OR: 3.04 [95% CI: 1.08–8.60]), specifically eczema and hay fever but not asthma or food allergy. Age at the time of immigration was not associated with lower odds of any allergic disorders.The findings from this large, prospective, US population–based study suggest that either infections or certain microbial exposures in early childhood may confer protection against atopic disorders. However, because the odds of developing allergic disease dramatically increase after a decade of living in the United States, protective effects may not be lifelong.These findings further support the role of environmental factors in the development of allergic disease. Limitations of this study, however, include self-report of allergic disease without clinical verification. The majority of the participants currently reside in a metropolitan area, and it is unknown what proportion of foreign-born families moved from a developing country (compared with an industrialized country) to the United States. Country of origin was not ascertained, although race/ethnicity data were collected as a proxy. Other potential confounding factors not evaluated include diet, allergenic exposures, use of antibiotics, use of antibacterial cleaning products, and history of helminthic infections.

Perceptions of the Police by Immigrant Youth

This mixed-methods study contributes to the emerging literature on immigration and law enforcement practices by measuring variation in attitudes toward the police across first- and second-generation immigrants in a survey sample of young individuals aged 18–25 stopped by the New York City Police Department ( N = 508). We supplement results from these models with insights from interviews with other youth and their caregivers ( N = 77). Findings show that foreign-born (first generation) youth generally exhibit more positive perceptions of police “effectiveness,” while those born in the United States to at least one foreign-born parent (second generation) are more likely to report more negative perceptions of “legitimacy.” The salience of immigration in these models, however, is weakened by the youths’ number of reported police stops as well as their perceived fairness and neutrality. Findings highlight the importance of considering police contact as a moderator of police attitudes as well as the need to unpack measures of police performance across subdomains.

Neighborhood Structure, Immigrant Status, and Youth Violence

Research indicates that children of immigrants are less likely to engage in violence than children of native-born parents, even when they live in high-risk neighborhoods, suggesting that foreign-born parents employ strategies that buffer children from delinquency. Parental supervision is important for adolescent well-being, and some scholars suggest it is especially important for adolescents residing in disadvantaged communities. Others argue supervision is more critical for youth residing in advantaged contexts, where parental involvement is normative. To date, evidence on the interplay between supervision and neighborhood characteristics is mixed, suggesting a more complex relationship. This study considers whether immigrant status further conditions the interplay between supervision and neighborhood characteristics, using data from a sample of adolescents residing in Chicago neighborhoods. Findings indicate that less supervised, first-generation adolescents are more likely to perpetrate violence in low-risk neighborhoods, while less supervised, second- and third-generation adolescents are more likely to perpetrate violence in high-risk settings.

Relationship between parent demographic characteristics, perinatal and early childhood behaviors, and body mass index among preschool-age children.

Approximately 25% of US 2-to-5-year olds are overweight and ethnic minority groups are disproportionately affected. We explored the relationship between parent demographic characteristics, various perinatal/early childhood (EC) factors, and child body mass index (BMI) to determine possible contributors to these disparities. A preschool-based randomized controlled (N = 28 centers) obesity prevention intervention was conducted among multiethnic 2-to-5 year olds. Baseline assessment of demographic characteristics, various perinatal/EC factors, and child BMI were analyzed via generalized linear mixed models and logistic regression analysis. Foreign-born parents were almost 2.5 times as likely to have an obese child versus children of US-born parents (OR 2.43, 95% CI 1.53-3.87). Families who spoke Spanish only or a combination of Creole/English at home were over twice as likely to have an obese preschool child versus families who spoke English only at home. Parent place of birth and language spoken at home plays a significant role in early childhood obesity. Future early childhood healthy weight initiatives should incorporate strategies that take into account these particular parent characteristics.

Influence of paternal and maternal ethnicity and ethnic enclaves on newborn weight

BackgroundThe association between maternal ethnicity and newborn weight is understood. Less is known about the additional influence of paternal ethnicity and neighbourhood ethnic composition.MethodsWe studied 692 301 singleton live births...

Differential Size of the Discrimination–Depression Relationship Among Adolescents of Foreign-Born Parents in the US

Background In estimating the association between discrimination and depression, existing research using standard regression models has generally relied on a single parameter estimate based on the conditional mean that reflects the relationship size for the average individual. Such estimates that focus on the average individual, however, may provide limited information regarding the true nature of the discrimination–depression relationship, which may vary across different points of the distribution of depressive symptoms conditional on various personal and social attributes.