A Study of Parenting Experiences of Single-parent, Recent Chinese Immigrant Victims of Marital Violence
Date Issued
2012
Date
2012
Author(s)
Hui-Chuan, Chen
Abstract
A Study of Parenting Experiences
of Single-parent, Recent Chinese Immigrant Victims of Marital Violence
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to apply the ecosystem theory to exploration of the parenting experiences by victims of marital violence in a population of recently-immigrated female single-parents from China. The study sought to describe their parenting experiences and the interactions with their children after gaining independence, what challenges they encountered, and what effective strategies they had developed. It also sought to understand their needs from the social welfare service and their impressions of the delivery of social welfare services. The overall impact of single parenting on their families was examined, as well.
The semi-structured interview technique was used for this qualitative research. The 8 participants in the study were citizens of China, single parents of Taiwanese offspring under the age of 8, and victims of domestic violence. All were custodians of one or two Taiwanese children.
There were some major findings: A. Adaption and adjustment of sentiment: Single-parenting was inspirational and gave them strength. They were strongly convinced that living with their own child/children was a positive factor in their lives. However, the frustrations of daily life affected their mental well-being. B. Financial difficulties: Lower education and lack of professional training, accompanied with the challenges of managing childcare and working time, limited their job choices to those with lower pay. All subjects worked part-time jobs with low pay and struggled to meet financial demands. C. Parenting relationship and function: These single mothers were able to build strong attachments with their children. In regard to parenting function, due to a lack of self-confidence, precocity in their children could from time to time interfere with their adjustment to life as single parents. D. Support system: Even though a divorce might enlarge their personal vacancies for social participation, a difficult economy and the inferiority complex from the stigma of divorce, and even the intent to acquire a local ID, could eventually block them from any support from hometown connections. Their only route for self-comfort is to find companionship within a tiny selected group and to try to fulfill one another’s needs. The problems of everyday life encourage them to consider requesting help from their former marriage relations, and even from their ex-husbands. E. Contact of the law: According to the law, if they seek residency through re-marrying, the years of residency that they have acquired, which count toward an alien permanent resident certificate, will be erased. In addition, current regulations concerning residency of foreigners also restrict the amount of aide from relatives. The participants expressed open admiration for the protection and assistance measures provided by the social administration system during their struggles to escape a violent family. However, they also found the assistance to be inconsistent. Constantly seeking better job opportunities and struggling with childcare, these mothers make a basic living by working several jobs each day. As a result, they depend heavily on the teachers of school or afterschool programs to prepare their children for the future. They rarely have time for two-way interactions with professionals in the educational system.
From the above, it is clear that six factors in the system interact to affect the parenting experiences of these women. These factors are as follows: the degree to which the children themselves need care, and feedback from that care; the status of the women''s own cultural, social, and economic capital; the amount of familial support from the ex-husband’s family; the women’s links with support systems; laws, policies, and regulations; and the related smooth flow of benefits from social services.
With regard to families facing such difficulties, this study provides several suggestions. On the policy side, it is necessary to provide assistance with the re-registration of their children, to provide low-cost housing, to reduce restrictions and obstacles to issuing visas to their blood relatives, and to offer the option of obtaining local IDs or long- term residence in order to maintain their parental bonds. On the practical side, in the procedures of issuing protection orders and civil rulings on divorce, it is necessary to correctly evaluate the effects of personal visits and handing over that can benefit these women and their children. Outreach care and service managers may also need to be provided. In addition, success stories of Chinese, single-parent new immigrants can be used to encourage such women, and all the direct service providers can be educated in multi-culturalism. Parallel parental functional mechanisms can be linked and collated, and group or individual courses can be provided to improve personal parenting skills and equal development of both mental and physical aspects in order to improve the overall experience of raising children.
Key words: mainland spouse, new immigrant, marital violence, single-parents, parenting experiences
Subjects
mainland spouse
new immigrant
marital violence
single-parents
parenting experiences
Type
thesis
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