Date of Award

12-16-2009

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Gabriel P. Kuperminc - Committee Chair

Second Advisor

Christopher Henrich - Committee Member

Third Advisor

Julia Perilla - Committee Member

Fourth Advisor

Lisa Armistead - Committee Member

Abstract

This longitudinal study examines whether family processes (family cohesion and family conflict) mediate the relationship between family separation experiences and the development of peer relationships (quality and conflict). The study includes a sample of 199 early adolescent Latinos from immigrant families. Family conflict mediated the relationship between separation experiences from fathers and peer conflict at year 1 but not year 2 such that more separation from father was associated with higher family conflict and higher peer conflict at year 1. Family cohesion did not mediate associations between mother or father separation and peer relationship outcomes. Family cohesion predicted more positive peer relationship quality at year 1 and family conflict predicted more peer conflict at year 1 indicating some distinction between these characteristics of relationships for families and peers. Mother separation predicted more peer conflict at year 1. This is consistent with qualitative studies of immigration experiences and separation (e.g., Baccallo & Smokowski, 2007; Suarez-Orozco et al., 2002). This study has added empirical quantitative support to show high levels of family conflict associated with family separation. Further, this study has demonstrated that youth who experience greater separation from fathers are likely to experience higher family conflict that is associated with greater peer conflict. In contrast, mother separation has a more direct association with peer conflict. Although family separations are associated with more peer conflict, they do not appear to influence change over time in peer conflict. The different paths of influence for mother separation and father separation warrant further research to explicate the unique associations between each parent‟s separation and family dynamics.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.57709/1347120

Included in

Psychology Commons

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