International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction
2019

“Children are going on a Different Path”: Youth Identity from the Bangladeshi Immigrant Parents’ Perspective (Article)

Islam F.* , Sultana A. , Qasim S. , Kozak M. , Tamim H. , Khanlou N.
  • a School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
  • b Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
  • c Internationally Trained Medical Doctors (ITMD) Bridging Program, The Chang School of Continuing Education, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, Canada
  • d Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, Canada
  • e School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
  • f School of Nursing, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada

Abstract

The objective of this study was to describe youth identity from the parents’ perspective focusing on the impact of migration on identity formation for both parents and children. The semi-structured interview guide was developed using an intersectional lens (Crenshaw 1989). Interviews with Bangladeshi immigrants (n = 18) living in Toronto, Canada, were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s (Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101, 2006) guide on thematic analysis and a systems framework (Khanlou et al. 2018). Parents described youth identity as a time of conflict fraught with turmoil, confusion, loneliness, and dual identity. Parents felt their children were on a divergent path from themselves in terms of identity and often felt the changes in their children as a result of acculturation were difficult to comprehend. Their identity as a “parent” took precedence over all other roles in life, particularly for mothers. Parents and children experienced changes in their identity at the macro-, meso-, micro-, and individual levels. Parenting support programs and resources are particularly needed for families with adolescent children to help mitigate conflict within the home and bridge understanding between parents and children as identities shift and transition through the migration and resettlement process. © 2019, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

Author Keywords

Youth identity Bangladeshi diaspora Bengali South Asian diaspora Parent Immigrant Canada

Index Keywords

Canada semi structured interview female immigrant juvenile Loneliness thematic analysis clinical article cultural factor qualitative research Article human mother child parent relation Adolescent Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85074732671&doi=10.1007%2fs11469-019-00148-4&partnerID=40&md5=7cc98739c655840b69776b734a8eed8f
DOI: 10.1007/s11469-019-00148-4
ISSN: 15571874
Original Language: English