The Moderating Effect of Family Cohesion on the Association between Acculturation Gaps and Parent-Child Conflict in Immigrant Families

Abstract

Intergenerational acculturation gaps have been found to be a source of conflict in many immigrant families. However, there has been limited research regarding variables that can moderate the association between acculturation gaps and parent-child conflict in immigrant families. Using a sample of 2,971 adolescents selected from the Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Study (CILS) and guided by the ABC-X model of family stress, the present study investigated the moderating effect of family cohesion. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis results revealed that gaps in both host culture acculturation and heritage culture acculturation were significant predictors of parent-child conflict. Family cohesion only moderated the association between heritage culture acculturation gap and parent-child conflict. Interestingly, the direction of the moderation was not in the expected direction: higher family cohesion increased the association between degree of heritage culture acculturation gap and parent-child conflict. Implications for reducing stress in immigrant families are discussed.