This study employed a qualitative and social constructionist approach to examine cultural differences in intercultural parenting and how parents negotiated cultural differences. Semistructured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 14 intercultural couples/parents. Thematic analysis was used to analyze data and understand the meanings of participants’ experiences. The findings revealed that while intercultural couples experienced several similar aspects of parenting experienced by monocultural couples, their experiences were exacerbated because of the cultural differences. The most common descriptions of differences and uniqueness in parenting were identified as (a) discipline, (b) sleep patterns, (c) cultural taboos refood and traditional medical practices, (d) children’s socialization process, (e) education, (f) language and communication, (g) role of children, and (h) the role of extended families. Five major conflict resolution strategies were identified: (a) communication, (b) compromise, (c) sphere of rule, (d) asymmetrical decision-making, and (e) individual traits. Practical implications for therapists and counsellors working with intercultural parents/couples are discussed.
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2015). Census of population and housing. Canberra, Australia: Author.
2.
BeckA. T.RushA. J.ShawB. F.EmeryG. (1979). Cognitive therapy of depression. New York, NY: Guilford Press.
3.
Berg-CrossL. (2001). Couples therapy (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Hawthorne.
4.
BhugraD.De SilvaP. (2000). Couple therapy across culture. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 15, 184–192.
5.
BradfordK.Burns VaughnL.BarberB. K. (2007). When there is conflict: Inter parental conflict, parental- child conflict, and youth problem behaviours. Journal of Family Issues, 29, 780–805.
6.
BratawidjajaA. (2007). The experience of being parents of mixed-heritage children: Phenomenological analysis. Dissertation, Kansas State University, Manhattan (UMI No. 3291371).
7.
BratterJ. L.KingR. B. (2008). “But will it last?” Marital instability among interracial and same-race couples. Family Relations, 57, 160–171. doi:10.1111/j.1741-3729.2008.00491.x
8.
BraunV.ClarkeV. (2006). Qualitative research in psychology: Using Thematic Analysis in Psychology, 3, 77–101.
9.
BustamanteR. M.NelsonJ. A.HenriksenR. C.JrMonakesS. (2011). Intercultural couples: Coping with culture-related stressors. The Family Journal, 19, 154–164. doi:10.1177/1066480711399723
10.
CaballeroC.EdwardsR.PuthusseryS. (2008). Parenting ‘mixed’ children: Negotiating difference and belonging in mixed race, ethnicity and faith families. York, England: Joseph Roundtree Foundation. Retrieved August 15, 2011, fromhttp://www.jrf.org.uk/bookshop/ebooks/parentngmixedchildren.pdf
11.
CrippenC.BrewL. (2007). Intercultural parenting and transcultural family: A literature review. The Family Journal: Counselling and Therapy for Couples and Families, 15, 107–115. doi:10.1177/1066480706297783Document
12.
De ShazerS.BergI. S. (1986). A “techniques of solution, A”. 5th International Congress of Family Therapy, Jerusalem, Israel.
13.
FosseyE.HarveyC.McDermottF.DavidsonL. (2002). Understanding and evaluating qualitative research. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 36, 717–732. doi:10.1046/j.1440-2002.01100.x
14.
FrameM. W. (2004). The challenges of intercultural marriage: Strategies for pastoral care. Pastoral Psychology, 52, 219–232.
15.
GarciaD. R. (2006). Mixed marriages and transnational families in the intercultural context: A case study of African-Spanish couples in Catalonia. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 32, 403–433. doi:10.1080/13691830600555186
16.
GeertzC. (1973). Thick description: Toward an interpretive theory of culture. In GeertzC. (Ed.), The interpretation of culture (pp. 3–30). New York, NY: Basic Books.
17.
GergenK. J. (1985). The social constructionist movement in modern psychology. American Psychologist, 40, 266–275.
18.
GuptaL. (2008). A comparison of parenting behaviour between European American and Asian Indian parents (Dissertation, University of Arkansas). Available from ProQuest Dissertations and Thesis. (UMI no. 1456092)
19.
HendersonD. (2000). Racial/ethnic intermarried couples and marital interaction: Marital issues and problem solving. Sociological Focus, 33, 421–438.
20.
HsuJ. (2001). Marital therapy for intercultural couples. In TsengW. S.StreltzerJ. (Eds.), Culture and psychology: A guide to clinical practice (Vol. 99, pp. 225–242). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric.
21.
KarisT. A.KillianD. (2009). Intercultural couples: Exploring diversity in intimate relationships. New York, NY: Routledge.
22.
KellerH.LohausA.KuensemuellerP.AbelsM.YosviR.VoelkerS.…MohiteP. (2004). The bio-culture of parenting: Evidence from five cultural communities. Parenting: Science and Practice, 4, 25–50.
23.
LincolnY.GubaE. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
24.
McFaddenJ.MooreJ. L. (2001). Intercultural marriage and intimacy: Beyond the continental divide. International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling, 23, 261–268. doi:10.1023/A: 1014420107362
25.
MinichielloV.SullivanG.GreenwoodK.AxfordR. (Eds.). (2004). Research methods for nursing and health sciences (2nd ed.). Sydney, Australia: Pearson Education.
26.
MolinaB.EstradaD.BurnettJ. A. (2004). Cultural communities: Challenges and opportunities in the creation of “Happily Ever After” stories of intercultural couplehood. The Family Journal: Counselling and Therapy for Couples and Families, 12, 139–147.
27.
OwenJ. D. (2002). Mixed matches: Interracial marriage in Australia. Sydney, Australia: University of New South Wales Press.
28.
PattonM. Q. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
29.
PerelE. (2000). A tourist’s view of marriage: Cross-cultural couples-challenges, choices, and implications for therapy. In PappP. (Ed.), Couples on the fault line: New directions for therapists (pp. 178–204). New York, NY: Guildford.
30.
RomanoD. (2001). Intercultural marriage: Promises and pitfalls (3nd ed.). Yarmouth, Maine: Intercultural Press, Inc.
31.
SantrockJ. W. (2007). A topical approach to life-span development (3rd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
32.
SinglaR. (2015). Intermarriage and mixed parenting, promoting mental health and wellbeing: Crossover love. Basingstoke, England: Palgrave Macmillan.
33.
SullivanC.CottoneR. R. (2006). Culture based couple therapy and intercultural relationships: A review of the literature. The Family Journal, 14, 221–225.
34.
TanakaM.KitamuraT.ChenZ.MurakamiM.GotoY. (2009). Do parents rear their children as they were reared themselves? Intergenerational transmission of parental styles (warmth and Control) and possible mediation of personality traits. The Open Family Studies Journal, 2, 82–90.
35.
Ting-ToomeyS. (1999). Communicating across cultures. New York, NY: Guilford.
36.
WaldmanK.RubalcavaL. (2005). Psychotherapy with intercultural couples: A contemporary psychodynamic approach. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 59, 227–245.
