Publication Date

2014

Document Type

Masters Thesis

Department

School for Social Work

Keywords

Hispanic American parents-Psychology, Hispanic Americans-Cultural assimilation, Hispanic Americans-Socialization, Latino, Immigrant, Parent, Parenting, Qualitative

Abstract

The following qualitative study sought to explore the living and parenting experiences of Latino immigrant parents in the Washington Metropolitan Area. Snowball sampling, via an email to the researcher's family, friends and colleagues, was used to recruit a total of twelve individuals (female=8; male=4) for participation in the study. Participants ranged from 31 to 68 years of age and had immigrated to the United States from Peru (n=6), Colombia (n=2), El Salvador (n=2), Ecuador (n=1) and Uruguay (n=1). Data for the study was gathered during individual, semi-structured interviews between the researcher and participants, which were audio recorded, transcribed and manually coded. Participants' narratives revealed personal accounts with acculturation and socialization; varying feelings associated with ethnic identity (i.e. pride, liminality, advantages and disadvantages of multiculturalism) preparing for and experiencing discrimination in the U.S. and efforts to preserve their second generation children's cultural identity and sense of family unity. The study illuminates the need for social workers to meet immigrants' intersecting identities, struggles and achievements with sensitivity, empowerment and a lens that encompasses analysis of immigrant individuals and their families within the varying contexts of their environments.

Language

English

Comments

iii, 49 pages : color illustrations. Thesis (M.S.W.)-Smith College School for Social Work, 2014. Includes bibliographical references (pages 44-49)

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