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Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:
http://hdl.handle.net/2069/184
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| Title: | Cultural Influences on South Asian American Relationships |
| Authors: | Kapadia, Malika |
| Keywords: | Acculturation
Cultural Value Conflict
Ethnic Identity
Worldview |
| Issue Date: | 16-Sep-2009 |
| Abstract: | As the United States becomes an increasingly diverse society, the need for an
understanding of the psychological impact of the immigrant and second-generation
experience increases. Acculturation, ethnic identity, and worldview have been identified
as factors that contribute to the mental health of minority populations. The influence of
these variables on interpersonal relationships, however, has not been studied. This
research sought to better understand the impact these three variables have on the
friendship and romantic relationship choices of immigrant and second-generation South
Asian individuals between the ages of 21 and 36.
The following measures were adapted for this population and used to assess the
aforementioned variables: Suinn-Lew Asian Self-Identity Acculturation Scale (SL-ASIA;
Suinn et all., 1987), Multidimensional Black Identity Inventory (MIBI; Sellers et al.,
1997), Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure-Revised (MEIM-R; Phinney and Ong, 2007),
the Individualism-Collectivism Scale-Shortened Version (Hui and Yee, 1994) and the
Cultural Values Conflict Scale (CVCS; Inman et al., 2001). Recruitment was conducted
through campus organizations and snowball sampling, and data was obtained online.
Correlational and multiple regression results show that there is a complex
relationship between these variables, and that individuals who are able to successfully
negotiate both cultural contexts engage in behaviors that allow them to integrate their
cultural identities into their perceptions of themselves and their understanding of the American and South Asian worlds around them. This study’s most salient finding is that
long-term romantic relationship choices, as opposed to friendship choices and dating
behaviors, are most influenced by the strength and centrality of ethnic identity. Clinical
implications and suggestions for future research are discussed. |
| URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/2069/184 |
| Appears in Collections: | Electronic Dissertation
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Files in This Item:
| File |
Description |
Size | Format |
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| Malika Kapadia Corrected.pdf | | 474Kb | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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