Cultural Shift from Interdependence to Independence

Abstract

Asian Indian Immigrant Parents (AIIP) of adolescents are encountering high levels of acculturation and enculturation experiences that are adding complexity to their parenting styles while raising teenagers. Having a different background embedded within collectivistic cultures versus the enculturating experiences of their teenagers being raised in the United States with individualistic cultures is forming a barrier. The purpose of this research was to explore those challenges with cultural barriers of AIIP who struggle to raise their adolescents in the United States. This qualitative research utilized a phenomenological design to explore the in-depth lived experiences of five AIIP from a large Mid-southern city in the US who are navigating acculturation, enculturation, and parenting with their adolescent children. The AIIP participated in 60-90 minutes, semi-structured interviews virtually, using Zoom due to the global pandemic. The interview transcripts were thematically analyzed through phenomenology using four levels of analysis and interrater reliability with two raters which provided a process that allowed for identifying complexities in their experiences. The preliminary finding shows that the AIIP struggled with anxiety, frustration, and fear during their navigation of parenting in an entirely different culture from the culture they were raised in.

Keywords: Asian-Indian-Immigrant-Parents; Acculturation; Enculturation; Parenting-Challenges; Phenomenological-Inquiry.