Ambiguous Loss Due to Separation in Voluntary Transnational Families

Abstract

Ambiguous Loss Due to Separation in Voluntary Transnational FamiliesThis theoretical review explores the usefulness of the ambiguous loss framework for understanding the unique and complex realities of boundary-spanning relationships in transnational families. Transnational family processes and interactions are those carried out in both the country of origin and the destination country. We first discuss the distinctive characteristics of ambiguous loss that can impact transnational family experiences in today's globalized world and propose a conceptual model of ambiguous loss in these families. We then describe the factors that affect boundary ambiguity in transnational families and challenges to family reunification, often the long-term goal of families separated by voluntary migration. We conclude by suggesting ways that an ambiguous loss theoretical lens is useful for research and practice with transnational families.Marife waits at the end of each month for her mother's letter, a ritual that has been in place since her mother moved to find work in Saudi Arabia 2 years ago when she couldn't find a job that provided enough income for their needs. Even though Marife also calls her aunt "Mama," the letters from her mother let her know she is remembered and loved.Pedro sends money each month to his wife and children in Mexico. He migrated to the United

Ambiguous Loss in Transnational Families’ Adolescents: An Exploratory Study in Ecuador

“…Second, our study highlights how adolescents’ emotional ambivalence may be related to the lack of control and agency experienced in living through ongoing separation. Indeed, while previous studies pointed out that adult members experienced an element of choice and agency in deciding on migration (Solheim & Ballard, ; Solheim et al., ) the specific developmental position of children within transnational families implies their inability to exert control or experience agency in coping with parental migration. This lack of agency is present in both the actual separation and in the ongoing communication with migrant parents, where our study shows how participants as school‐aged children neither were able to participate in the decision of parental migration nor were adequately informed about it.…”

“…Furthermore, our study documents how adolescents express their experience of being dependent on parental initiative in parent‐child communication practices. Here, divergent experiences of parent‐child separation may be related to different levels of choice, marking a salient differentiation between adult and child transnational family members (Solheim & Ballard, ).…”

“…Migratory grief has been described as partial, recurrent, and multilayered: partial as the as object of loss does not disappear forever and the possibility of reunion remains; recurrent as reactivated under different circumstances; and multilayered as it pertains to simultaneous losses related to family, country, language, community, and culture (Falicov, ). With several studies documenting the psychosocial impact of family separation (Salazar Parreñas, ; Suárez‐Orozco, Hee Jin Bang, & Ha Yeon Kim, ), the specific characteristics of migratory grief have led scholars to frame this experience as an ambiguous loss, elaborating on Boss’s notion within the particular domain of psychosocial migration studies (Falicov, ; Solheim & Ballard, ; Suárez‐Orozco, Todorova, & Louie, ).…”

“…Previous studies indicated that adolescents from migrant families may present ambivalent feelings and emotions (Salazar Parreñas, ; Suárez‐Orozco et al., ). Furthermore, studies on adolescents in transnational families documented that, although they received care and emotional support by extended family members (Artico, ; Solheim & Ballard, ), adolescents still reported feelings of abandonment (Salazar Parreñas, ; Suárez‐Orozco et al., , ). Moreover, adolescent members of transnational families may in some cases face pervasive social stigma, where parental migration faces the association with deprivation of affection and increased exposure to deviance (Boccagni, ; Herrera & Carrillo, ; Pedone, ).…”

A Literature Review on Maternal Migration: Cases of China, Sri Lanka, Guatemala, Philippines, and Poland

“…lack to no available economic opportunities, to alleged more promising circumstances in the country of destination e.g. educational opportunity, better employment opportunity and better wages (Solheim & Ballard, 2016). [24] lived for more than three months abroad in 2013.…”