Chinese-American families - parent-child relations with emphasis on the socialization of children, the conjugal power pattern and family type

This thesis explores different aspects of contemporary Chinese-American families in Houston, in the light of cultural assimilation and modernization. These aspects include the parent-child relation, with emphasis on the child-rearing and socialization of children, parental expectation on children, parental attitudes toward interracial marriages of their children, family type and conjugal power patterns. This study is based on a sample of ninety-nine Chinese-Amerleans who are mostly professionals and small entrepreneurs. Data were obtained mainly by self-administered questionnaires. The findings show a democratic form of child-rearing, high expectations of parent for their children's education regardless of sex of the children. The general attitude toward interracial marriages is unfavorable. Parents make efforts to pass down their Chinese cultural heritage to their children; however without support from other major institutions, these efforts seem to be ineffective. This study shows a trend toward egalitarian conjugal relations. The writer feels thase trends will continue among the highly educated middle-class Chinese families.