Immigrant Mothers (immigrant + mother)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Migration, Motherhood, Marriage: Cross-Cultural Adaptation of North American Immigrant Mothers in Israel

INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION, Issue 1 2009
Laura I. Sigad
This study probes the cross-cultural adaptation patterns of North American women who immigrated to Israel with their Israeli-born husbands (or married there) and are mothers in their new country. In order to undertake a cultural analysis of the interplay between immigration, motherhood and bicultural marriage, we examine: the effects of motherhood and North American culture of origin on cross-cultural adaptation; the effects of immigration to Israel on motherhood and childrearing; the influence of family of origin on the immigrant motherhood experience; and the role of Israeli husbands and their families in the women's cross-cultural adaptation process. We study patterns for the entire group as well as bringing out individual differences. Our main finding is that motherhood serves as the principal social link to the Israeli host society. The high status of North American culture and English proficiency facilitate cross-cultural adaptation in Israel. Our findings reveal transnationalist tendencies co-existing with various adaptation strategies. We propose an expansion of previous acculturation models to accommodate this dual modus vivendi. [source]


Educational Progress and Parenting Among Mexican Immigrant Mothers of Young Children

JOURNAL OF MARRIAGE AND FAMILY, Issue 4 2010
Robert Crosnoe
This study examined the potential for educational investments in Mexican immigrant mothers to enhance their management of their children's pathways through the educational system in the United States, which often disadvantages them. We tested this hypothesis with data on 816 Mexican immigrant women and their children from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study,Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K). The results suggest that mothers who pursued their own schooling over a 4-year period, regardless of whether they obtained a degree, increased their engagement with their children's schools during that same period. The results appear to be robust to a wide range of factors that select women into continuing education. [source]


Maternal Discussions of Mental States and Behaviors: Relations to Emotion Situation Knowledge in European American and Immigrant Chinese Children

CHILD DEVELOPMENT, Issue 5 2010
Stacey N. Doan
This study examined in a cross-cultural context mothers' discussions of mental states and external behaviors in a story-telling task with their 3-year-old children and the relations of such discussions to children's emotion situation knowledge (ESK). The participants were 71 European American and 60 Chinese immigrant mother,child pairs in the United States. Mothers and children read a storybook together at home, and children's ESK was assessed. Results showed that European American mothers made more references to thoughts and emotions during storytelling than did Chinese mothers, who commented more frequently on behaviors. Regardless of culture, mothers' use of mental states language predicted children's ESK, whereas their references to behaviors were negatively related to children's ESK. Finally, mothers' emphasis on mental states over behaviors partially mediated cultural effects on children's ESK. [source]


Transnational Ties, Poverty, and Identity: Latin American Immigrant Women in Public Housing,

FAMILY RELATIONS, Issue 4 2008
Silvia Domínguez
Abstract: This study used ethnographic data to examine the nature and functions of transnational relationships of low-income Latin American women who had immigrated to the United States and were living in areas of extreme poverty. Findings indicated that these Latin American mothers utilized transnational ties to help maintain the cultural identities of themselves and their children, to alleviate social isolation, and to provide a safer summer housing alternative for their children. Transnational ties may have had some negative consequences, including financial and social burdens associated with maintaining long-distance familial relationships. However, despite some negative aspects, we conclude that transnational ties are often an instrumental resource for immigrant mothers living in poverty and are vital to immigrant social mobility. [source]


Educational Progress and Parenting Among Mexican Immigrant Mothers of Young Children

JOURNAL OF MARRIAGE AND FAMILY, Issue 4 2010
Robert Crosnoe
This study examined the potential for educational investments in Mexican immigrant mothers to enhance their management of their children's pathways through the educational system in the United States, which often disadvantages them. We tested this hypothesis with data on 816 Mexican immigrant women and their children from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study,Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K). The results suggest that mothers who pursued their own schooling over a 4-year period, regardless of whether they obtained a degree, increased their engagement with their children's schools during that same period. The results appear to be robust to a wide range of factors that select women into continuing education. [source]


Development and psychometric evaluation of an Arab version of the family peer relationship questionnaire,

RESEARCH IN NURSING & HEALTH, Issue 5 2008
Karen J. Aroian
Abstract Little is known about parent and peer relationships in immigrant adolescents due to a dearth of culturally sensitive measures. We adapted the Family Peer Relationship Questionnaire (FPRQ) for Arab immigrant mothers and their adolescents. Mothers and adolescents completed parallel versions of the Arab FPRQ and measures of child behavior problems, child social relations, and maternal depression. Data analyses included confirmatory factor analysis and concurrent validity. The proposed four-factor structure was replicated in both the mother and child forms. Scores from the Arab FPRQ subscales and the other measures provided evidence of concurrent and discriminant validity, suggesting that the Arab FPRQ is a viable assessment tool. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Res Nurs Health 31:402,416, 2008 [source]


Life with a new baby: How do immigrant and Australian-born women's experiences compare?

AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, Issue 4 2010
Mridula Bandyopadhyay
Abstract Objective: Little is known about immigrant mothers' experiences of life with a new baby, apart from studies on maternal depression. Our objective was to compare the post-childbirth experiences of Australian-born and immigrant mothers from non-English speaking countries. Methods: A postal survey of recent mothers at six months postpartum in Victoria (August 2000 to February 2002), enabled comparison of experiences of life with a new baby for two groups of immigrant women: those born overseas in non-English-speaking countries who reported speaking English very well (n=460); and those born overseas in non-English-speaking countries who reported speaking English less than very well (n=184) and Australian-born women (n=9,796). Results: Immigrant women were more likely than Australian-born women to be breastfeeding at six months and were equally confident in caring for their baby and talking to health providers. No differences were found in anxiety or relationship problems with partners. However, compared with Australian-born women, immigrant mothers less proficient in English did have a higher prevalence of depression (28.8% vs 15%) and were more likely to report wanting more practical (65.2% vs 55.4%) and emotional (65.2% vs 44.1%) support. They were more likely to have no ,time out' from baby care (47% vs 28%) and to report feeling lonely and isolated (39% vs 17%). Conclusion and implications: Immigrant mothers less proficient in English appear to face significant additional challenges post-childbirth. Greater awareness of these challenges may help to improve the responsiveness of health and support services for women after birth. [source]