Abstract
Language brokering, whereby children of immigrants provide informal translation and interpretation for others, is considered
commonplace. However, the research evidence remains inconsistent concerning how language brokering relates to the psychological
health of child language brokers and their relationships with their parents. Furthermore, few studies have examined the familial
context as an explanation source. This study evaluated the moderating effects of adolescents’ support of family obligation
values and their perceptions of parental psychological control on relationships between language brokering frequency and both
adolescent psychological health and parent–child relationship quality. Adolescents from 182 immigrant Chinese families residing
in Canada (average age 15 years, 52% females) reported the frequency with which they translated or interpreted various materials
for their parents. More frequent language brokering was associated with poorer psychological health for adolescents who held
strong family obligation values or who perceived parents as highly psychologically controlling. More frequent language brokering
was also associated with more parent–child conflict. Contrary to some past findings, language brokering frequency was not
significantly positively associated with self-esteem or with parent–child congruence (i.e., levels of understanding and satisfaction
with parent–child relationships). The findings are discussed in relation to their support for theories of parent–child role
reversals or independent-interdependent scripts in language brokering.
commonplace. However, the research evidence remains inconsistent concerning how language brokering relates to the psychological
health of child language brokers and their relationships with their parents. Furthermore, few studies have examined the familial
context as an explanation source. This study evaluated the moderating effects of adolescents’ support of family obligation
values and their perceptions of parental psychological control on relationships between language brokering frequency and both
adolescent psychological health and parent–child relationship quality. Adolescents from 182 immigrant Chinese families residing
in Canada (average age 15 years, 52% females) reported the frequency with which they translated or interpreted various materials
for their parents. More frequent language brokering was associated with poorer psychological health for adolescents who held
strong family obligation values or who perceived parents as highly psychologically controlling. More frequent language brokering
was also associated with more parent–child conflict. Contrary to some past findings, language brokering frequency was not
significantly positively associated with self-esteem or with parent–child congruence (i.e., levels of understanding and satisfaction
with parent–child relationships). The findings are discussed in relation to their support for theories of parent–child role
reversals or independent-interdependent scripts in language brokering.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-13
- DOI 10.1007/s10964-011-9682-2
- Authors
- Josephine M. Hua, Department of Psychology, University of Victoria, PO Box 3050, Victoria, BC V8W 3P5, Canada
- Catherine L. Costigan, Department of Psychology, University of Victoria, PO Box 3050, Victoria, BC V8W 3P5, Canada
- Journal Journal of Youth and Adolescence
- Online ISSN 1573-6601
- Print ISSN 0047-2891