Keeping Up with the Armenians: A Close Look at the Experiences of Second-Generation Armenian American College Student

Armenians Americans, though with an estimated population of 467, 890, have been a "hidden minority" and have received limited attention from the field of family therapy. However, Armenians Americans college students as minority and emerging adults face numerous challenges such as accepting responsibility for themselves and making independent decisions within their unique familial and social contexts. A phenomenological study was designed to inquire about second-generation Armenian American college students' personal experiences regarding the phenomenon of cultural and familial influences on important life choices such as dating and academics. Data was collected through 12 individual semi-structured interviews and observations. The results shed light on the strong influence of family and culture of origin. Participants discussed about their sense of being bicultural, feelings of floating in the middle/space in between, and difficult to balance. Older siblings often served as role models. Clinical implications were included for clinicians working with this population.