This study examined the factors associated with the psychological and sociocultural adaptation of immigrant parents of preschool children, in terms of psychological distress, difficulties in managing everyday lives, marital relationship, parenting stress and preception of child behaviour problems. The participants were 261 immigrant parents. They were requested to complete a questionnaire on the above variables. The results indicated that psychological and sociocultural adaption outcome variables were related to one another and key were associated with self-efficacy, social support and acculturation strategies. Implications for service provisions were discussed.
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OBJECTIVE: To compare parental perception of child behaviour problems, parenting stress, and marital satisfaction in new arrival and local parents. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey; semi-structured interview. SETTING: Maternal and Child Health Centres, social service centres, preschools. PARTICIPANTS: Parents of preschool children, including new arrival parents and local parents. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Child behaviour problems, parenting stress, and marital satisfaction. RESULTS: After controlling for socio-economic factors, new arrival parents were more troubled by their children's behaviour problems and their parent-child interactions were more dysfunctional than those of local parents. There were no differences in parent-reported severity of child behaviour problems, parental distress, and marital satisfaction. New arrival parents reported difficulties in adapting to the new living environment and lack of social support. CONCLUSIONS: New arrival parents were more troubled by their children's behaviour, and their parent-child interactions were more dysfunctional than those of local parents. These might in part be related to their settlement difficulties. Parenting programmes should address their specific settlement needs.
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