Poster #35 - Parent-Child Interaction and Daily Mood among Youth “Satellite Babies” in Chinese Immigrant Families in the United States: A 14-Day Daily Diary Study

• In Event: Poster Session 05

Abstract

Background
Parent-child separation may threaten long-term psychosocial adaptation of affected families and these risks still exists in families who have reunited. Early and prolonged parent-child separation (separated at 0-5 years old for at least 6 months) can have harmful impact on forming secure attachments and positive relationships with parents and later with others. Parent-child separation also negatively affects the social emotional adjustment and parenting practices of affected parents.

In the Chinese immigrant community in the United States, many low-income parents (over 50%) sent their infants back to their home country for rearing by extended family members before their children reach school age. These separated-reunited children were called “satellite babies.” A few studies have examined the detrimental impact of early and prolonged separation on affected children and parents. However, research is limited about the psychosocial functioning and parent-child interaction among youth satellite baby families. The present 14-day daily diary study with youth satellite babies and their parents aimed to examine associations between both parents and the satellite baby’s daily mood and parent-child interactions using same-day reports from mother, father, and the satellite baby.

Method
Participants were 39 youth satellite baby (aged 12-17) and their biological fathers and mothers. Both parents and satellite babies reported their daily mood (indexed by negative and positive mood) and parent-child interactions (i.e., mother-child warmth, father-child warmth, mother-child conflict, and father-child conflict) via an online survey for 14 continuous days. Demographics (gender and grade level) and separation experiences (age at separation and duration of separation) were collected in the first daily survey. Linear mixed-effects models, which was a method for non independent or multilevel/hierarchical data, was estimated to understand the associations between daily mood and parent-child interactions, reported by fathers, mothers, and satellite babies, respectively.

Results
After adjusting for random effects and demographics and separation characteristics, 1) child’s positive daily mood was positively associated with father-child and mother-child warmth reported by the child, and was negatively linked to mother-child conflict reported by father and the child. Child’s negative daily mood was positively associated with child-report of father-child conflicts and mother-child conflict; 2) Father’s positive daily mood was positively associated father-child warmth reported by the father and the child. Father’s negative daily mood was positively related to father-report mother-child conflict and was negatively related to longer duration of separation; 3) Mother’s positive daily mood was positively associated mother-child warmth reported by both parents and the child, and was negatively linked to mother-child conflict reported by mother. Mother’s negative daily mood was positively related to conflict with both parents reported by both parents and father-child warmth reported by father, and was negatively associated with mother-child warmth reported by mother.

Conclusions
Positive parent-child interactions, characterized by more warmth and fewer conflicts, are important for the daily mood of youth satellite babies and their parents. Satellite babies and their parents’ daily mood are more closely related to self-report parent-child interactions, suggesting that self-reporting is a reliable method for understanding the relationship between daily mood and parent-child interactions.

Authors

• Shaobing Su, Boston College
  Presenting Author

• Ruoying Li, Boston College

• Haoxing Liu, Boston College

• Jianing Zhang, Veritas Christian Academy

• Yejia Yin, Boston College

• Cathy Shi, Saint Mark School

• Lucia Xiao, The Brearley School