Social support is a valuable resource for immigrant parents to maintain their parental self-efficacy and fulfill childrearing duties. Using data from a sample of first-generation Asian American immigrant parents of multiple ethnic groups who were born outside the United States (N = 670), this study examined the relationships among social support, parental self-efficacy, and nurturing parenting behaviors. The analysis revealed that positive parenting behaviors, measured by parental nurturance, were positively associated with social support. When analyzing the sources of social support separately, we found a significant association between parental nurturance and family support, but no significant associations were observed with partner or friends’ support. Parental self-efficacy played a significant mediating role in the relationship between family support and parental nurturance. These findings have important implications for clinical practice and policy interventions that address the needs of first-generation Asian American parents, the fastest growing ethnic minority group in the U.S.
