Parenting experiences of Eastern European immigrant professionals in the U.S.: a qualitative study

In 2004, the nation’s foreign-born population numbered approximately 35 million comprising about 12% of the total U.S. population (U.S. Census Bureau, 2005). Most studies of immigrants primarily research the two largest immigrant groups, those from Latin America and Asia, while little has been done with the less visible population of immigrants from Eastern Europe. Also, we know much about the experiences of low-income immigrants of color, but little about the experiences of white immigrant families in the professional ranks. A qualitative study was conducted with immigrant professionals from Eastern Europe to explore their experiences with raising children in a new sociocultural environment. A grounded theory methodology (Strauss & Corbin, 1998) was used for data collection and analysis. The participants (N=24) were interviewed in depth on the topics of adaptation to the host country; changes in the family as a result of immigration; participants’ perceptions of the differences of raising children in their countries of origin and the U.S.; the adjustments they had to make in a new context; education and language issues; relationships with children and conflict; cultural identity and acculturation. Based on the analysis, seven major themes emerged: (1) Education: “Education is a big goal, a means of establishing one’s life”; (2) Language: “He answers in English, and this breaks my heart”; (3) Ethnic identity and biculturalism: “I don’t think our kids are torn between two worlds… We are”; (4) Grandparents and extended family: “In our culture, the grandparents are very involved with grandchildren, their daily upbringing”; (5) Time bind: “You don’t have a lot of time for your kids here, and you need to live with that”; (6) Environmental influences: “We were not guided in our life that much by media and television; we got our [role] models from the family, books”; (7) Discipline, independence, self-esteem, and confidence: “As a parent, you have to know how to keep it in balance.” Narratives from the participants provide illustrations of the processes that occur in the family system due to a change in the context of living. Implications for practitioners and directions for future research are discussed

The relationship between family daily hassles and family coping and managing strategies

The primary focus of the study was to examine the relationship between family daily hassles and family coping and managing strategies. Additionally, the three dimensions of daily hassles, time and energy involvement, positive influence, and negative influence, were investigated. Data were collected from 290 families with school-age children. Mothers and fathers completed a self-administered survey on family daily hassles and family coping and managing strategies. The final sample consisted of 255 mothers (51% African American) and 128 fathers (62% White) of families with first and third grade children from a mid-sized, southern city. The findings of the study indicate that dimensions of daily hassles are important and must continue to be explored. Mothers, and fathers, reported higher than expected levels of the time and energy involvement and the positive influence of daily hassles, and lower than expected levels of the negative influence of daily hassles. The hypothesis that family daily hassles, as measured by the time and energy involvement, the positive influence, and the negative influence, are related to family coping and managing strategies was supported by correlational analysis. The three dimensions of family daily hassles were found to be stronger predictors of managing strategies rather than of coping strategies. Of the three dimensions of daily hassles, the positive influence of family daily hassles was found to be a statistically significant predictor of managing strategies for both mothers and fathers. Reframing and, especially, Spirituality were reported as used by families the most, indicating that these aspects of coping deserve attention and should be included in an assessment of coping strategies, particularly for African American families

BADANIE PARAMETRÓW GLEBY Z TERENÓW PRZYWODNYCH

In the paper results of investigations of soil samples from Subcarpathian region for chosen elements and the percentage of appearance has been presented. In investigations the fast test method as well as energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometer (ARL Quart’X) have been used. The methodology of samples collecting and the principle of the EDXRF operation have been described.W artykule zaprezentowano wyniki badań próbek gleby z obszaru Podkarpacia pod kątem zawartości wybranych pierwiastków oraz jej składu procentowego. W badaniach wykorzystano zestawy testów kolorymetrycznych oraz spektrometr fluorescencji rentgenowskiej z dyspersją energii, ARL Quart’X EDXRF. Opisano metodologię pobierania próbek oraz stosowane metody badawcze

Immigrants Coping with Transnational Deaths and Bereavement: The Influence of Migratory Loss and Anticipatory Grief

This study examines immigrants’ experiences of bereavement and coping with the deaths of family members in a transnational context. Data were collected through in-depth personal interviews with middle-aged and older immigrants from different countries of origin, who have been living in the United States for a majority of their adult lives. Thematic analysis of participants’ narratives showed that immigrants’ geographic distance from family complicated caregiving circumstances and rituals surrounding burial, and impacted the grieving process. At the same time, this distance also served as an emotional barrier and provided protection from prolonged grief. Immigrants’ U.S.-based family and work responsibilities served as buffers from prolonged grief. Over time, immigrants became Americanized in their attitudes toward coping with death and favored a fast return to productive activities. Finally, immigrants’ experience of migratory loss and anticipatory grief early in immigration, along with their personal growth and resilience developed over time, impacted their bereavement experiences later in life. Considering the limitations and the exploratory nature of the present study, further research is needed to investigate the specifics of coping with loss and bereavement among immigrants

Heritage Language Maintenance and Loss Among the Children of Eastern European Immigrants in the USA

The present study offers an in-depth look at heritage language maintenance and loss among the children of immigrant professionals from Eastern Europe residing in the USA. Based on semi-structured interviews with 50 married mothers and fathers, I explore: (1) parental attitudes related to heritage language transmission to their children; (2) parental efforts to transmit heritage language; (3) reported barriers to heritage language transmission and maintenance; and (4) parental adjustments in response to children\u27s diminishing heritage language skills. The roles of individual, family and community factors in the maintenance of heritage language in the second generation are discussed

Dating and Mate Selection Among Young Adults from Immigrant Families

In this article the authors examine dating and mate selection preferences and experiences from the perspective of young men and women from immigrant families. Through in-depth personal interviews with 35 second generation youth from diverse cultures, the authors explored: (1) parental influences and expectations of their children\u27s mate choices; (2) the roles of gender, birth order, and length of residency in the United States in expectations for mate selection; and (3) immigrant youth\u27s preferences for marriage partners. The findings showed that immigrant parents hold mostly endogamous views. Youth\u27s dating experiences are influenced by their gender, their birth order, and their family\u27s acculturation. Second generation immigrants generally seek bicultural partners like themselves. Narratives from the participants provide insight into the attitudes that guide mate selection of these young adults from immigrant families

Grandparents Across the Ocean: Eastern European Immigrants Struggle to Maintain Intergenerational Relationships

Many contemporary immigrants belong to transnational families-families that maintain significant contact with two or more countries. These families identify with multiple environments and deal with life-cycle changes over extensive geographical space. This paper has two major aims: 1) to better understand how today\u27s immigrant families facilitate intergenerational relationships across significant distances; and 2) to learn more about the understudied population of recent immigrant professionals from Eastern Europe in the United States. To accomplish these aims, in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 24 immigrant mothers and fathers from Eastern European countries residing in the United States. Based on grounded theory methodology, we identified four themes: (1) The definition of family and the importance of extended family ties: The relationships are tighter knit than those in the U.S. ; (2) The role of grandparents in childrearing: Who else do you think is more appropriate? ; (3) The strategies of maintaining intergenerational relationships: I want my son to know his predecessors\u27 language ; and (4) The stress of being torn between two worlds: I don\u27t want to be happy at the expense of my extended family. Our findings suggest that, in spite of advances in communication and travel, and a strong desire for continuation of intergenerational relations in immigrant families, emotional transnationalism is not easily achieved

Creating Retirement Paths: Examples from the Lives of Women

Through in-depth interviews with 40 retired women diverse in age, marital status, ethnicity, income, and occupational background, we explored how women experience retirement. Following our analysis, we identified five retirement pathways: family-focused, service-focused, recreation-focused, employment-focused, and disenchanted retirements. These pathways represent dominant activities and interests at the time the women were interviewed and challenge the cultural portrayal of retirement as an unvarying life stage. The participants\u27 narratives provide a glimpse into the pathways retired women create by revealing the complexity of later life and the changing nature of retirement

Retired Women and Volunteering: The Good, the Bad, and the Unrecognized

In this article, we examine varied attitudes and practices toward volunteering in later life, as shared by a group of 40 retired women. We categorize women based on their engagement in retirement and label the categories according to societal expectations as follows: traditional volunteers as good, nonvolunteers as bad, and caregiving volunteers as unrecognized. Using critical gerontology and a feminist framework, we juxtapose the lived experiences of retired women with a prevailing discourse on successful aging and civic engagement. We advocate for societal recognition of caregiving as a valuable form of volunteering, as well as the need to respect multiple ways in which older women experience and find meaning in later life