Social Experiences and Life Satisfaction of Immigrant Families With Young Children in a Highly Urban City

• In Event: Poster Session 1: Parents and Families in Early Childhood

Abstract

This paper investigates the social experiences and life satisfaction of 54 immigrant families with young children aged birth to 5 in an urban Mid-Atlantic city through a family survey as the first phase of a comprehensive mixed methods study focusing on the ecology of immigrant families with young children. Findings demonstrate that despite past trauma, discrimination, and job insecurity, participants reported life satisfaction, family strengths, connectedness to organizations, and social supports. The advanced analysis points to the correlational relationships between life satisfaction, social supports, and linguistic-cultural expression. Although an exploratory first step with a small sample, this study highlights the ways healthy ecologies including linguistic and sociocultural supports are maintained by immigrant families to support healthy development of young children.

Authors

• Zeynep Isik-Ercan, Rowan University

• Huan-Tang Lu, Rowan University

• Nicole Megan Edwards, Rowan University

• Madji Fall, Rowan University