Communication Frequency and Types of Supportive Messages: A Mixed Methods Approach to Examining Mexican-Origin College Students’ Relationships With Their Mothers and Fathers

Abstract

Spanish

The current study examined communication between Mexican-origin college students (n = 84) and their parents and the supportive messages that students received. Students attend a Hispanic Serving Institution in central Texas. Most students (96.4%) communicated weekly with parents. Females communicated more with their mothers. Relationship quality was positively related to communication with fathers. Parents’ supportive messages targeted characteristics of parent–child relationships and noncognitive predictors of academic outcomes. Findings demonstrate that parents are a viable focus for college retention efforts.

Keywords

college students communication Hispanic Latino Mexican-origin mothers and fathers support gender

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Abar

C. C.

Abar

Turrisi

Belden

(2013). Communication technology used among parents and their college teens: Implications for college health promotion and risk prevention programs. Journal of the First-Year Experience & Students in Transition, 25(1), 61-76.

Arellano

A. R.

Padilla

A. M.

(1996). Academic invulnerability among a select group of Latino university students. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 18, 485-507.

Armsden

G. C.

Greenberg

M. T.

(1987). The Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment: Relationships to well-being in adolescence. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 16, 427-454.

Braun

Clark

(2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3, 77-101.

Bronfenbrenner

Morris

P. A.

(2006). The bioecological model of human development. In Lerner

R. M.

Damon

(Eds.), Handbook of child psychology: Theoretical models of human development (Vol. 1, 6th ed., pp. 793-828). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley.

Buzi

Smith

Weinman

(2009). Parental communication as a protective factor in increasing condom use among minority adolescents. International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health, 21, 51-59.

Coleman

J. S.

(1988). Social capital in the creation of human capital. American Journal of Sociology, 94, 95-120.

Creswell

J. W.

Plano Clark

V. L.

(2017). Designing and conducting mixed methods research (3rd ed.). Los Angelas, CA:SAGE.

Ecklund

(2013). First-generation social and ethnic minority students in Christian universities: Student recommendations for successful support of diverse students. Christian Higher Education, 12, 159-180.

10.

Emmers-Sommer

T. M.

(2004). The effect of communication quality and quantity indicators on intimacy and relational satisfaction. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 21, 399-411.

11.

Excelencia in Education. (2007). Voces (Voices): A profile of today’s Latino college students. Washington, DC: Excelencia in Education Publication.

12.

Holloway

S. D.

Park

Jonas

Bempechat

(2014). “My mom tells me I should follow the rules, that’s why they have those rules”: Perceptions of parental advice giving among Mexican-heritage adolescents. Journal of Latinos and Education, 13, 262-277.

13.

Kam

J. A.

Potocki

Hecht

M. L.

(2014). Encouraging Mexican-heritage youth to intervene when friends drink the role of targeted parent-child communication against alcohol. Communication Research, 41, 644-664.

14.

Killoren

S. K.

Alfaro

E. C.

Lindell

A. K.

Streit

(2014). Mexican American college students’ communication with their siblings. Family Relations, 63, 513-525.

15.

Kolkhorst

B. B.

Yazedjian

Toews

M. L.

(2010). A longitudinal examination of parental attachment, college adjustment, and academic achievement. Journal of the First-Year Experience & Students in Transition, 22, 9-25.

16.

Kranstuber

Carr

Hosek

A. M.

(2012). “If you can dream it, you can achieve it”: Parent memorable messages as indicators of college student success. Communication Education, 61, 44-66.

17.

Lapan

S. D.

Quartaroli

M. T.

Riemer

F. J.

(Eds.). (2012). Qualitative research: An introduction to methods and designs. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

18.

Lotkowski

V. A.

Robbins

S. B.

Noeth

R. J.

(2004). The role of academic and non-academic factors in improving college retention (ACT policy report). Iowa City, IA:American College Testing.

19.

Ong

A. D.

Phinney

J. S.

Dennis

(2006). Competence under challenge: Exploring the protective influence of parental support and ethnic identity in Latino college students. Journal of Adolescence, 29, 961-979.

20.

Plunkett

S. W.

Behnke

A. O.

Sands

Choi

B. Y.

(2009). Adolescents’ reports of parental engagement and academic achievement in immigrant families. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 38, 257-268.

21.

Pong

Hao

Gardner

(2005). The roles of parenting styles and social capital in school performance of immigrant Asian and Hispanic adolescents. Social Science Quarterly, 86, 928-950.

22.

Raffaelli

Ontai

L. L.

(2004). Gender socialization in Latino/a families: Results from two retrospective studies. Sex Roles, 50, 287-299.

23.

Rendon

L. I.

(1994). Validating culturally diverse students: Towards a new model of learning and student development. Innovative Higher Education, 19, 33-51.

24.

Rodriguez

M. C.

Morrobel

(2004). A review of Latino youth development research and a call for an asset orientation. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 26, 107-127.

25.

Sabogal

Marin

Otero-Sabogal

Marin

B. V.

Perez-Stable

(1987). Hispanic familism and acculturation: What changes and what doesn’t? Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 9, 397-412.

26.

Small

M. L.

Morgan

Abar

Maggs

J. L.

(2011). Protective effects of parent–college student communication during the first semester of college. Journal of American College Health, 59, 547-554.

27.

Solberg

V. S.

Villarreal

(1997). Examination of self-efficacy, social support, and stress as predictors of psychological and physical distress among Hispanic college students. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 19, 182-201.

28.

Stein

C. H.

Osborn

L. A.

Greenberg

S. C.

(2016). Understanding young adults’ reports of contact with their parents in a digital world: Psychological and familial relationship factors. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 25, 1802-1814.

29.

Terenzini

P. T.

Rendon

L. I.

Upcraft

M. L.

Millar

S. B.

Allison

K. A.

Gregg

P. L.

Jalomo

(1994). The transition to college: Diverse students, diverse stories. Research in Higher Education, 35, 57-73.

30.

Tien

Roosa

M. W.

Michaels

(1994). Agreement between parent and child reports of parental behaviors. Journal of Marriage and Family, 56, 341-355.

31.

Tinto

(2012). Completing college: Rethinking institutional action. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press.

32.

Updegraff

K. A.

Delgado

M. Y.

Wheeler

L. A.

(2009). Exploring mothers’ and fathers’ relationships with sons versus daughters: Links to adolescent adjustment in Mexican immigrant families. Sex Roles, 60, 559-574.

33.

Updegraff

K. A.

McHale

S. M.

Whiteman

S. D.

Thayer

S. M.

Delgado

M. Y.

(2005). Adolescent sibling relationships in Mexican American families: Exploring the role of familism. Journal of Family Psychology, 19, 512-522.

34.

Valenzuela

(1999). Gender roles and settlement activities among children and their immigrant families. American Behavioral Scientist, 42, 720-742.