Mexican-American Parents: Transmittors of Ethnic Identity.

This research examined the relationship between Mexican-American ethnic identity in parents and the transmission of cultural identity to children. The expectation was that Chicano parents who more strongly identified with the Mexican culture would be more likely to pass on ethnic identifications to their children. Data were obtained from 735 parents of Mexican descent as part of a comprehensive, bilingual survey about Chicano life. The respondents are a r and omly selected sample represenstative of about 90% of the Mexican-origin population in the United States. The research was supported by the Center for Minority Group Mental Health Programs of the National Institute of Mental Health. Cultural transmission was measured along two dimensions. Respondents were asked about desires that their children maintain various aspects of the Chicano culture. This yielded "ideal" measures of the transmission process. Parents were also asked about the extent to which their children behaved in ethnic ways, resulting in measures of "actual" transmission. The measure of cultural transmission were examined in relation to parental ethnic identity. Ethnic identity was conceptualized as a multidimensional phenomena that included normative, behavioral, and structural components of cultural life that distinguish the Mexican-American. Family identity, which tapped several dimensions of familism, received particular attention because of the salience of the family in the literature on Chicano's and because of the family's role in socialization. The results indicate that parental ethnic identity is a powerful, if specific, predictor of cultural transmission, particularly along behavioral lines. The strongest finding is that Mexican-American parents who speak Spanish and associate with other Chicanos overwhelmingly report children who do the same. There are several exceptions to the pattern of direct links between parental identity and cultural transmission. Some nativity differences are found in the transmission process. The measures of family identity tend to be independent of the other measures of ethnic identity. This finding challenges beliefs about the place of the family in the Chicano culture and invites further study.Ph.D.Social psychologyUniversity of Michiganhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/158622/1/8204636.pd