Syracuse University SURFACE David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Marriage and Family Therapy - Dissertations Dynamics 2011 Waiting for Your Return: A Phenomenlogical Study on Parental Deportation and the Impact of the Family and the Parent-Child Attachment Bond Erika Beckles Flores Syracuse University Follow this and additional works at: https://surface.syr.edu/mft_etd Part of the Family, Life Course, and Society Commons Recommended Citation Beckles Flores, Erika, "Waiting for Your Return: A Phenomenlogical Study on Parental Deportation and the Impact of the Family and the Parent-Child Attachment Bond" (2011). Marriage and Family Therapy - Dissertations. 42. https://surface.syr.edu/mft_etd/42 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics at SURFACE. It has been accepted for inclusion in Marriage and Family Therapy - Dissertations by an authorized administrator of SURFACE. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Abstract In 2007 it was estimated that 500,000 Latino immigrants entered the U.S. illegally and are now at risk of being deported back to their country of origin. Children of deported Latino immigrants typically stay in the U.S. separated from their deported parent(s). Previous research has focused on parent-child separation when Latino parents immigrate to the U.S. and leave their children behind in their country of origin. While some of the literature has focused on attachment bonds on Latinos, to date none has focused on parent-child separation related to deportation and its impact on the attachment bond. This study used a qualitative methodological approach guided by phenomenology to explore the experiences of children of deported parents. Participants were over the age of 20 (ages ranged from 23-36 years with a mean age of 29), of Latino descent, and were able to vividly recall the experience of having an undocumented parent deported during childhood. Ten participants took part in the study and each responded to an in-depth semi-structured interview. Study results confirmed previous research detailing the impact of separation on the family. The experiences of loss and separation indicated that family and parent-child attachment bonds are uniquely impacted by parent-child separation through deportation. This caused immediate and long-term effects on self, the parent, and the family. Unmitigated by sufficiently developed coping skills, the intense stress caused by the experience left children at risk for feeling isolated, abandoned, hopeless, angry, and scared. The results of this study suggested that the parent-child attachment bond is flexible and impacted by relational interactions and experiences. Implications for marriage and family therapists serving Latino immigrant families dealing with parent- child separation related to deportation are discussed for future research. WAITING FOR YOUR RETURN: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY ON PARENTAL DEPORTATION AND THE IMPACT ON THE FAMILY AND THE PARENT CHILD ATTACHMENT BOND By Erika Carmen Beckles Flores B.A. California State University San Marcos, 2004 M.A. Alliant International University, 2006 DISSERTATION Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Marriage and Family Therapy in the Graduate School of Syracuse University May 2011 Copyright 2011 Erika C. Beckles All Rights Reserved v TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract i List of Illustrative Materials x Acknowledgements xi Chapter I: Introduction 1 Description of the Problem ..............................................................................................4 Need for the Study ............................................................................................................8 Overview of the Study ....................................................................................................10 Chapter II: Review of Literature 11 Theoretical Framework: Attachment Theory .................................................................11 Roles of Mother and Father: Similarities and Differences .........................................13 Characteristics of Secure Attachment ........................................................................15 Characteristics of Ambivalent Attachment ................................................................16 Characteristics of Avoidant Attachment ....................................................................16 Characteristics of Disorganized Attachment ..............................................................18 Attachment Theory and Emotion ...................................................................................18 Attachment Theory Today .............................................................................................20 Cross-Cultural Studies ................................................................................................21 Application to Immigration-Related Parent-Child Separation .......................................25 Psychological Problems..............................................................................................29 Latinos ............................................................................................................................30 Immigration ....................................................................................................................33 The Legacy of Latino Families ......................................................................................36 Family .........................................................................................................................36 Spirituality ..................................................................................................................39 Language ....................................................................................................................43 Immigration and Separation .......................................................................................45 Ambiguous Loss .........................................................................................................49 Illegitimate Loss .........................................................................................................53 vi Complexity of Multiple Losses ..................................................................................54 Chapter III: Methods 57 Qualitative Research ......................................................................................................57 Characteristics of Qualitative Research ......................................................................58 Phenomenology ..............................................................................................................60 Role of the Research ......................................................................................................62 Sampling and Selection ..................................................................................................64 Data Collection ...............................................................................................................65 Data Analysis .................................................................................................................66 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................71 Chapter IV: Results 72 Epoché of the Researcher ...............................................................................................72 Participants .....................................................................................................................78 Findings ..........................................................................................................................85 Category I: Relationship with Deported Parent .............................................................87 Theme I: Strong Bond ................................................................................................88 Theme II: Distant Bond ..............................................................................................88 Category II: Nature and Dynamics of Deportation ........................................................89 Theme I: Deportation was Unexpected and Sudden ..................................................90 Theme II: Experience of Deportation Unraveled with Time ......................................90 Theme III: The Deportation Experience was Silent and Confusing...........................91 Category III: Deportation‘s Impact on Self ....................................................................93 Theme I: I Was Devastated and Lonely .....................................................................93 Theme II: I Did Not Want to Go Home .....................................................................94 Theme III: I Knew Something Had Changed .............................................................94 Theme IV: I Tried to Forget and Concentrate ............................................................95 Theme V: My Experience Differed Based on Where I Lived ....................................95 Category IV: Impact on Deported Parent .......................................................................97 Theme I: Emotionally Checked Out and Unstable .....................................................97 Theme II: Engaging in Self-Destructive Behaviors to Cope with Experience ...........98 vii Category V: Relationship with