Korean Immigrant Fathers’ Perceptions and Attitudes Toward Their Parenting Involvement

Abstract

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.

Understanding Asian American College Students’ Suicidal Behavior: Qualitative Study

“…Another compounding impact of intergenerational acculturation disparity on suicide may be associated with traditional parenting styles in Asian culture, although it may vary depending on individual parent's flexibility or rigidity in interacting with his/her children [14]. In Asian culture, many parents have learned to suppress their emotions and intimate physical contacts with their children, while children are taught to obey their parents absolutely without expressing their emotions [26]. As a result, Asian American college students tend to perceive their parents as authoritarian, restrictive and indifferent people who are incapable of helping their acculturation struggles or emotional crisis.…”

Ecological Risk and Protective Model of East Asian Immigrant Fathers' Psychological Well-Being in the U.S.

“…Having a good education has been seen as a protective factor for immigrants so they can succeed and enter the mainstream of society (Choi & Thomas, 2009). However, education can also be considered a risk factor, especially for EAIFs, because many are educated in their home countries and that education may not be recognized in the host country's job market (Choi et al 2021). Thus, EAIFs may feel more deprived when they compare themselves to others with a similar level of education either in their home country or in the United States (Zhang & Hong, 2013).…”

“…This motivation could be a psychological protective factor for EAIFs if their expectations are met in the United States. However, it could also be a risk factor if they have to focus on their breadwinner role after immigration due to financial challenges (Choi et al, 2021).…”

“…When children spend most of their time studying, they have little family time to build an affectionate parent-child relationship, which can result in a distant or even conflict-filled father-child relationship (Choi et al, 2016). When children's academic achievements do not meet EAIFs' expectations, they may feel they are not successful fathers, which threatens their psychological well-being (Choi et al, 2021).…”