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Immigrant-Chinese and Euro-American parents' physical closeness with young children: themes of family relatedness.

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Immigrant-Chinese and Euro-American parents' physical closeness with young children: themes of family relatedness.
Authors: Rothbaum, Fred1 frothbau@tufts.edu, Morelli, Gilda2, Pott, Martha1, Liu-Constant, Yvonne1, Rothbaum, F3 (AUTHOR), Morelli, G (AUTHOR), Pott, M (AUTHOR), Liu-Constant, Y (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Family Psychology. Sep2000, Vol. 14 Issue 3, p334-348. 15p. 1 Chart.
Subject Terms: *Family relations, *Immigrants, *Child rearing, *Autonomy (Psychology), *Intimacy (Psychology), *Parenting, *Culture, *Families, *Comparative studies, *Research methodology, *Parent-child relationships, *Cultural pluralism, *Research, *Evaluation research, Chinese people, European Americans, Family values, Asians, Emigration & immigration, Medical cooperation, Socialization, White people, Ethnology research, Psychosocial factors
Abstract: This study examined cultural differences in the expression and meaning of physical closeness. Findings indicated that immigrant-Chinese parents, as compared with Euro-American parents, sleep in closer proximity with their children; more often view independence as children growing with the family; are more likely to emphasize the family unit; and place greater importance on inhibition of expression, adherence to correct values, and hierarchy of relations. Euro-Americans, by contrast, are more accepting of nudity; place more emphasis on psychological benefits of physical closeness and on the child's expression of wants and feelings; more often view independence as celebrating the child's distinctiveness; and place greater importance on intimacy, pleasure, and spousal exclusiveness. The authors suggest that closeness is characterized by an overarching theme of harmony in immigrant-Chinese families and by an overarching theme of romance in Euro-American families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database: Education Research Complete
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Abstract:This study examined cultural differences in the expression and meaning of physical closeness. Findings indicated that immigrant-Chinese parents, as compared with Euro-American parents, sleep in closer proximity with their children; more often view independence as children growing with the family; are more likely to emphasize the family unit; and place greater importance on inhibition of expression, adherence to correct values, and hierarchy of relations. Euro-Americans, by contrast, are more accepting of nudity; place more emphasis on psychological benefits of physical closeness and on the child's expression of wants and feelings; more often view independence as celebrating the child's distinctiveness; and place greater importance on intimacy, pleasure, and spousal exclusiveness. The authors suggest that closeness is characterized by an overarching theme of harmony in immigrant-Chinese families and by an overarching theme of romance in Euro-American families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:08933200
DOI:10.1037/0893-3200.14.3.334