Poster #150 - Predictors and Outcomes of Filial Behaviors in Emerging Adulthood: A Cross-cultural Comparison

• In Event: 3-159 - Poster Session 12
  In Poster Session: PS 12 Section - Parenting & Parent-Child Relationships

Integrative Statement

Filial piety is a deep sense of respect, love, reverence, and obedience toward one’s parents and elders that is rooted in Confucian philosophy (Jorgensen et al., 2017; Li et al., 2014). In Eastern and South-Asian countries, children are usually socialized to develop this sense of reverence and devotion toward parents, which continues to play a central role during emerging adulthood despite increasing autonomous functioning from their family (Jorgensen et al., 2017).
Researchers have found that Filial Behaviors (FBs) are positively predicted by some features of the parent-child relationships, including parental warmth and autonomy support, while negatively associated with psychological control and conflict (Cheah et al., 2012; Jorgensen et al., 2017). Moreover, FBs have implication for adjustment during the transition to adulthood, such as promoting psychological well-being and protecting emerging adults from anxiety and depression (Fuligni & Pedersen, 2002; Schwartz et al., 2010). Extant research has utilized primarily Asian and Asian American samples in studies of FBs, however some theorists have pointed out the need to study such a construct in more individualistic cultures like European-American or European contexts to better understand cultural similarities and differences in FBs and their implications for children’s well-being (Fuligni & Pedersen, 2002; Schwartz et al., 2010).
The present study focused on: (1) examining the associations among specific predictors and outcomes of FBs; and (2) exploring the moderating role of culture across Italian, European American, and Asian American emerging adults. Participants included 1567 emerging adults, ranging from 18 to 28 years old (M = 22.11 years, SD = 2.13), specifically, 490 Italians, 687 European-Americans, and 390 Asian-Americans. Participants self-reported on their: (1) FBs; (2) parents’ promotion of independence (PI) and promotion of volitional functioning (PVF); (3) parental warmth and conflict; (4) psychological control; (5) anxiety; (6) depressive symptoms; and (7) psychological well-being.
Multiple group path analyses were conducted to investigate the associations between PI, PVF, psychological control, warmth, conflict and FBs, on the one hand, and the associations between FBs, anxiety, depression, and psychological well-being, on the other hand. In both cases, the moderator role of cultural group was examined. Results showed that FBs are positively predicted by PI and warmth (p<.05), but negatively predicted by conflict in the parent-child relationships (β=-.13, p<.05). However, the cultural context moderated the association between FBs and PI (i.e., stronger in both European-Americans and Italians, β=.34, than in Asian-Americans, β=.14), as well as the association between FBs and warmth (i.e., stronger for both U.S. groups, β=.36, than Italians, β=.13). Moreover, FBs were negatively associate with depressive symptoms (p<.05) and anxiety (β=-.14, p<.05) and positively associated with psychological well-being (p<.05). However, culture moderated the association between FBs and depressive symptoms (i.e., stronger in Italians, β=-.27, than both U.S. groups, β=.12), as well as FBs and psychological well-being (i.e., stronger in both European-Americans and Italians, β=.38, than in Asian-Americans, β=.18). These findings are discussed highlighting the prominent role of FBs in the context of child-parents relationships during emerging adulthood, as well as the shared and unique cultural meaning of this construct.

Authors

• Cristiano Inguglia, University of Palermo
  Presenting Author

• Sonia Ingoglia, Univeristà degli Studi Palermo
  Non-Presenting Author

• Francesca Liga, University of Messina
  Non-Presenting Author

• Alida Lo Coco, University of Palermo
  Non-Presenting Author

• Maria Grazia Lo Cricchio, University of Palermo
  Non-Presenting Author

• Pasquale Musso, University of Calabria
  Non-Presenting Author

• Charissa S. L. Cheah, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
  Non-Presenting Author