Expressions of the intent to leave behind something when we die can contain elements of both selflessness and selfishness. In this paper, we identify 3 different types of expressed legacy (personal, broader, and composite), and distinguish between them by examining their correlates (generativity, narcissism, and community involvement), as well as differences in expressed legacies for midlife African Americans and European Americans. Quantitative and qualitative data from surveys and interviews were drawn from the Foley Longitudinal Study of Adulthood (FLSA; N = 138; aged 55-58). We examined the contributions of generativity, narcissism, community involvement, and SES to each legacy, as well as the comparative levels of common significant predictors for each legacy, and the comparative likelihood of expressing particular legacies by race. Quantitative analyses showed that a different constellation of correlates predicted each legacy. Additionally, African Americans were more likely than European Americans to express legacies that indicated community involvement. Qualitative analyses showed that legacy groups (and races) also differed in open-ended responses encompassing personal concerns, talents, and goals. These findings highlight some of the mechanisms and correlates of how the intent to leave a legacy can provide meaning and purpose for midlife African Americans and European Americans. Results are discussed in light of previous research concerning how legacies are transmitted, and potential differences in cultural roots and meaning for African Americans and European Americans.
This paper examines Korean immigrant fathers’ lived experiences of their parenting involvement by using interpretative phenomenological analysis of seven participants who were recruited through Korean ethnic churches in a Midwestern city. In semi-structured interviews, we explored five main areas affecting Korean immigrant fathers’ perceptions and attitudes toward parenting involvement and found the following issues to be especially salient for participants: limited acculturation progress, economic difficulties, low self-esteem, experiences of intergenerational conflict, and involvement in religious faith and church activities. This study contributes to the field’s understanding of Korean immigrant fathers’ perceptions of intergenerational and intercultural conflicts when raising their Americanized children and underlines for mental health providers the importance of providing culturally competent parenting education on the topic of positive fathering.
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