Abstract
This study was designed to explore Cuban American adolescents’ conceptions of good parent–adolescent relationships and the extent to which they reflect cultural values and gender roles. Focus group interviews were conducted with 23 U.S. Cuban American adolescents (mean age = 17.1 years; SD = .90) with at least one immigrant parent. A qualitative analysis of interview transcripts using the tools of grounded theory revealed gendered family roles and relationships across parent–child dyads. Mothers were extensively involved in their children’s daily lives, and mother–adolescent relationships were often close; in contrast, fathers were background figures who stepped in to make important decisions and dispense discipline. Boys and girls reported distinct relationships with each parent and linked family roles and relationships to Cuban culture.
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This research was funded by grant HD R01 039438 from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to L. Crockett and S. Russell. We also thank George Knight for his advice on structuring the focus groups.
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Crockett, L.J., Brown, J.R., Iturbide, M.I. et al. Conceptions of Good Parent–Adolescent Relationships among Cuban American Teenagers. Sex Roles 60, 575–587 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-008-9469-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-008-9469-4