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Parenting Among Rohingya and Afghan Refugee Parents Residing in Malaysia
Author(s) -
Shaw Stacey A.,
Pillai Veena,
Yang Chongming,
Saasa Sherinah
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
family relations
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1741-3729
pISSN - 0197-6664
DOI - 10.1111/fare.12518
Subject(s) - refugee , psychology , confirmatory factor analysis , structural equation modeling , ethnic group , affect (linguistics) , construct validity , child rearing , scale (ratio) , developmental psychology , clinical psychology , psychometrics , political science , geography , statistics , mathematics , law , cartography , communication
Objective This study examined the measurement properties of parenting‐related measures among 140 Rohingya and Afghan refugee parents residing in Malaysia, then examined factors associated with these parenting outcomes. Background Unprecedented numbers of forced migrant families reside in countries of first asylum with temporary status and limited legal rights. Limited research examines parenting experiences among these communities. Method To examine construct validity and reliability of parenting‐related measures among this sample, we carried out confirmatory factor analysis to examine respectively the factor structure of scales measuring underlying latent constructs of Child Adjustment & Parent Efficacy, the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire, and the Family Functioning Scale. Their associations with individual (gender, age, ethnicity, education), social (marital status, number of children), and environmental factors (time in Malaysia, food insecurity, employment, and emotional distress) were examined using structural equation modeling. Results Residing in Malaysia for a longer period of time was associated with higher child behavioral intensity, lower parent self‐efficacy, and higher family conflict. Food insecurity was associated with lower parent self‐efficacy, and being employed was associated with positive parenting as well as poor supervision. Higher levels of emotional distress were associated with higher child behavioral intensity, lower parent self‐efficacy, and lower levels of poor supervision. Conclusion Displacement challenges negatively affect refugee parents and families. Implications Solutions are needed that bolster the abilities of forced migrants to establish permanence and provide for their families. Additionally, attention toward the unique challenges of refugee families can guide service provision within countries of first asylum.