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Coping with pseudo-single parenting : experience of Chinese mothers in astronaut families in Canada

University of British Columbia

This explorative research project examined the pseudo-single parenting experience of Chinese and Taiwanese mothers in astronaut families in British Columbia, Canada. Enhanced Critical Incident Technique was utilized to answer research questions including what helps and what hinders the mothers’ coping experiences with parenting alone, as well as their wishes and/or expectations within the parenting process. Individual and in-person interviews were conducted with 8 Taiwanese mothers and 7 Chinese mothers. Participants reported 150 helping and 63 hindering critical incidents, and 27 wish items in the areas of intrapersonal process, family process, social interactions, and external resources and conditions. These areas consisted of 12 helping and 7 hindering categories. Approximately 70% of the critical incidents fell under the intrapersonal process (38%) and family process (34%) areas. Adaptability (87%) was the most endorsed helping category, juggling multiple responsibilities (80%) was the most endorsed hindering category, and expectations for children (47%) was the most endorsed wish list item. The results suggested that the astronaut family arrangement is a goal-oriented family project. The advancement of international transportation and communication technologies helped the family stay connected. Astronaut mothers in this research made informed decisions to undertake the primary care taker’s role. Participants coped with quasi-single parenting by connecting to various sources of support intrapersonally and externally. They demonstrated resilience and flexibility when confronted with parenting difficulties. Counselling practitioners are encouraged to make multidimensional assessments for case conceptualizations when working with mothers in astronaut families. Risk and protective factors can be explored in the areas of intrapersonal process, family process, social interactions, and external resources and conditions. Improving the mothers’ internal strengths and increasing sources of validation are likely helpful for successful coping.

Text

2018-10-09

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/67407

Counselling Psychology

University of British Columbia

UBCV

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/