Parental Depression Mediates the Relationship Between Parent-Adolescent Acculturative Stress and Parent-Adolescent Conflict Among Korean Immigrant Parents

Abstract

Conflict is typical among parent-adolescent relationships across ethnic groups and can be influential on adolescent psychosocial development and adjustment (Adams et al., 2008; Kwak, 2003). Some research suggests parent-adolescent conflict may predict youth maladjustment (Yeh, 2011), whereas other studies suggest parent-adolescent conflict may facilitate developmentally appropriate adolescent differentiation (Steinberg, 2001). Research has primarily focused on developmental outcomes associated with parent-adolescent conflict, and less on different factors leading to parent-adolescent conflict. Additionally, few studies have considered the unique context of immigrant parents. Acquiring and adjusting to cultural characteristics in a new country may contribute to acculturative stress in parent-adolescent relationships. Previous studies have associated parent-adolescent acculturative stress with strained parent-child relationships among Korean Americans (Heeseung & Dancy, 2009), and increased parent-child conflict in Chinese immigrant families (Fung & Lau, 2010). Other studies have found associations between acculturative stress and increased risk of psychopathology in Asian Americans (Hwang & Ting, 2008). Furthermore, study findings linking parental mental health and parent-adolescent conflict suggest parental mental health may be a potential factor leading to parent-adolescent conflict (Dekovic, 1999; Steinberg, 2001). Such research, however, has predominantly focused on nonimmigrant families (Cheung & Theule, 2019; Lovejoy et al., 2000). Though associations have been found among parent-adolescent acculturative stress, parental mental health, and parent-adolescent conflict, few studies have explored these variables together. Considering parent-adolescent conflict influences different pathways to developmental outcomes, assessing factors that impact parent-adolescent conflict is important in understanding adolescent development. Thus, the current study examined the mediating effect of parental depression between parent-adolescent acculturative stress and parent-adolescent conflict among Korean immigrants in New Zealand, one of the largest immigrant groups in the country (Statistics New Zealand, 2014). Ninety-six Korean immigrant parents (Mage in years = 45.34, SD = 7.07; Female 61.8%; Myears in NZ =10.39 , SD = 6.78) answered anonymous questionnaires: Immigrant Parental Stress Inventory (Yoo & Vonk, 2012; α = .90), the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (Radloff, 1977; α = .91), and the Conflict Behavior Questionnaire (Robin & Foster, 1989; α = .86). Correlations were significant among the key variables (see Table 1) and an ANOVA revealed no significant sex differences. Mediation analysis using PROCESS (Hayes, 2013) was used to analyze the potential mediating role of parental depression on the association between parent-adolescent acculturative stress and parent-adolescent conflict. Results indicated parental depression mediated the relationship between parent-adolescent acculturative stress and parent-adolescent conflict (β = .08, 95% CI [.00, .19]). These results support previous findings that parent-adolescent conflict is associated with parental mental health problems (Dekovic, 1999; Steinberg, 2001) and parent-adolescent acculturative stress (Fung & Lau, 2010). Furthermore, current findings suggest Korean immigrant parents’ experience of parent-adolescent acculturative stress may negatively influence their mental health, which may then influence parent-adolescent conflict. However, the cultural contexts that may influence parent-adolescent conflict and adolescent development need to be further assessed. Therefore, exploring culturally relevant factors that influence parent-adolescent conflict is important to gain a deeper understanding of the diverse pathways to parent-adolescent conflict and adolescent development along with cultural influences on adolescent development.