Minority Families: Strengths of Four Ethnic Groups
Author(s):
Abbott, Douglas A.; Meredith, William H.
Format:
Conference presentation
Publisher:
1985.
Language:
English
Abstract:
While healthy families and minority family systems are two areas of family research currently getting attention, little is known about what various ethnic families consider to be important traits of healthy families. To examine this issue and to assess family strengths and marital and parenting satisfaction for different ethnic samples, parents from four American ethnic groups (57 American Indians, 80 Hmong refugees, 105 Chicanos, 103 Blacks), and a white comparison group (N=210) were surveyed by questionnaire and by interview concerning those characteristics that promote a strong and healthy family. The results showed that the majority of parents across all ethnic groups considered a strong family to be one in which trust, support, and effective communication are present and in which a sense of right and wrong behavior are taught. Family members reported feeling responsibility for the welfare of each other, yet expressed respect for individuality and personal privacy. Strong families were reported to spend time together. Though not reported by the white parents, other ethnic parents valued financial security and respect for elders as additional sources of family strength. The parents also evaluated their own marital and parental satisfactions and their family strength. The white and Hmong parents reported the highest scores on all family measures, while the Indian parents had the lowest levels of family satisfaction. The interpretation of these results, however, is tentative because the validity of these family scales for ethnic parents has not been established. (NB) (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)