Family intergenerational conflict and emotional well-being among children of Asian and Hispanic immigrant parents

The adaptation process has a significant impact on the emotional well-being of children of immigrants. As children acculturate faster than their parents, they face multiple stressors associated with family intergenerational conflict. This is especially the case for children of Asian and Hispanic immigrant parents for whom the cultural values and patterns of U.S. society significantly differ from those of their cultures of origin. As a result, family intergenerational conflict can negatively affect their emotional well-being.

This study examined the relationship between intergenerational conflict and emotional well-being, i.e., depression and self-esteem, in children of Asian and Hispanic immigrant parents. It analyzed cross-sectional data from the Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Study. The sample (N=4288), ages 16 to 18, was 57.4% Hispanic and 31.6% Asian. Most of them (79.2%) were from middle class families; the rest were from working class or poor families. The total sample was evenly distributed between males and females.

Bivariate correlation tests suggested that family intergenerational conflict was highly correlated with self-esteem (r=.39, p<.0001) and depression (r=-.34, p<.0001). Multiple regression analyses also revealed that it was the most important predictor for both self-esteem and depression (β=.062, p<.001; β=-.071, p<.001, respectively). This remained true while a set of demographic and structural factors related to the immigration process and the children's academic performance were adjusted for.

These findings underscore a need for culturally responsive educational programs to assist immigrant parents and their children prevent and cope effectively with the stress associated with family intergenerational conflict. Further research can help understand the long-term effect of intergenerational conflict on self-esteem, depression and other mental health outcomes in children of immigrants. This would help inform policy and program development to enhance the emotional well-being of children of immigrants.