Generation levels, acculturation, filial piety, and intergenerational conflicts among Chinese Americans

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between intergenerational conflict and generation level, acculturation, and filial piety among Chinese Americans. A sample of 213 Chinese Americans adults was recruited from the local Chinese community at Los Angeles County and online survey from universities at California. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire, the Asian American Multidimensional Acculturation Scale (AAMAS), the Dual Filial Piety Scale (DFPS), and the Intergenerational Conflict Inventory (ICI). In order to reduce linguistic barriers, all items were available in English, Traditional Chinese, or Simplified Chinese. Acculturation was operationalized by the Asian American Multidimensional Acculturation Scale (AAMAS), which measures acculturation to the mainstream European American culture, enculturation to the Chinese culture of origin, and acculturation to a panethnic Asian American identity. The results from a linear multiple regression indicated that the three independent variables collectively and significantly explained 16% of intergenerational conflicts. A hierarchical regression revealed that enculturation to the Chinese culture of origin was the strongest significant predictor of intergenerational conflict for this sample. To explain this finding, participants in the current study were categorized into various generational matching groups: (a) parents who never immigrated (nonimmigrant parents) with their first-generation immigrant children, (b) first-generation parents with second-generation children, and (c) second-generation parents with third-generation children. The results indicated that first-generation immigrants reported the highest level of intergenerational conflicts with their nonimmigrant parents compared to their counterparts. Furthermore, the results indicated that the acculturative experiences of members of the 1.5 generation may be similar to those of the first generation, a finding that departs from the 1.5-generation literature on other Asian American subgroups. Limitations and recommendations for future research are discussed. To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine intergenerational conflict between Chinese parents who never immigrated to the United States and their children who are first-generation immigrants to the United States.