Culture and Family Process: Measures of Familism for Filipino and Korean American Parents

Fam Process. 2018 Dec;57(4):1029-1048. doi: 10.1111/famp.12322. Epub 2017 Oct 15.

Abstract

This study tests the psychometric properties of multiple survey items and scales that are either underused or newly developed to assess familism among Asian Americans. Using data collected from 150 Filipino and 188 Korean American parents (mostly mothers) in the Midwest region in 2013, the measures were examined for validity and reliability for each group and, when appropriate, for cross-cultural equivalence across the groups. Several scales and their items showed high quality psychometric properties and are ready for use to more accurately assess family process of each target group and to conduct comparative analyses. The findings also show that, contrary to the expectation, Filipino American families express more traditional aspects of familism than do Korean American families, and are more likely to reinforce traditional familism beliefs and behaviors among their children. This study reinforces a need for more empirical- and subgroup-specific research effort.

Keywords: Culture; Familism; Filipino American Parents; Immigration; Korean American Parents; cultura; familismo; inmigración; padres coreano-estadounidenses; padres filipino-estadounidenses; 家庭主义; 文化; 移民; 菲律宾裔美国家长; 韩裔美国家长.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Acculturation
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Asian
  • Cross-Cultural Comparison
  • Family Relations / ethnology
  • Family Relations / psychology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Midwestern United States
  • Parents / psychology*
  • Philippines / ethnology
  • Psychometrics
  • Qualitative Research
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Republic of Korea / ethnology
  • Social Values / ethnology*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires / standards*