Jennifer N. Boswell - Wellness of Select Immigrant Chinese and

Journal article

Ya-Wen Liang, A. LaGuardia, Karen Furgerson, Jennifer N. Boswell
2017

Cite

APA Click to copy
Liang, Y.-W., LaGuardia, A., Furgerson, K., & Boswell, J. N. (2017). Wellness of Select Immigrant Chinese and Taiwanese Wives in the United States.

Chicago/Turabian Click to copy
Liang, Ya-Wen, A. LaGuardia, Karen Furgerson, and Jennifer N. Boswell. “Wellness of Select Immigrant Chinese and Taiwanese Wives in the United States” (2017).

MLA Click to copy
Liang, Ya-Wen, et al. Wellness of Select Immigrant Chinese and Taiwanese Wives in the United States. 2017.

BibTeX Click to copy

@article{ya-wen2017a,
  title = {Wellness of Select Immigrant Chinese and Taiwanese Wives in the United States},
  year = {2017},
  author = {Liang, Ya-Wen and LaGuardia, A. and Furgerson, Karen and Boswell, Jennifer N.}
}

Abstract

A qualitative phenomenological research study was conducted to investigate the acculturation experience and wellness of 10 Chinese and Taiwanese immigrant women who married United States citizens. A social constructivist theoretical framework was taken to explore the participants’ acculturation experience and wellness issues from the lens of their worldviews. We attempted to understand these immigrant women’s acculturation, wellness, cultural identity development, marital concerns, and contentment. Ten participants who married United States citizens were interviewed. Six of them participated in a group interview, and four of them completed individual interviews. Six themes were revealed: (a) language and cultural challenges, (b) relationship aspects of emotional suppression, (c) parenting conflicts, (d) determination for growth, (e) spousal support and gratitude, and (f) religious support. Cultural dissimilarities, diverse communication styles, and language differences appeared to result in challenges affecting these wives’ wellness and acculturation to cultural aspects of their marriages and societal norms in the United States. Most participants gained a sense of competence related to their own personal wellness in relation to their acculturation process such as expressing their conflicting emotions. We encourage counselors and researchers to understand immigrant women’s wellness as it relates to the cultural complexities regarding their acculturative transitions so as to better help these women address their wellness and counseling issues.