University of Central Florida STARS Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019 2017 Examining the Experiences of Latino/a Parents of First-Generation College Students Pursuing a Doctoral Degree Natalia Toro University of Central Florida Part of the Educational Leadership Commons, and the Higher Education Administration Commons Find similar works at: https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd University of Central Florida Libraries http://library.ucf.edu This Doctoral Dissertation (Open Access) is brought to you for free and open access by STARS. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019 by an authorized administrator of STARS. For more information, please contact [email protected]. STARS Citation Toro, Natalia, "Examining the Experiences of Latino/a Parents of First-Generation College Students Pursuing a Doctoral Degree" (2017). Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019. 5385. https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd/5385 EXAMINING THE EXPERIENCES OF LATINO/A PARENTS OF FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS PURSUING A DOCTORAL DEGREE by NATALIA LEAL TORO B.A. Rollins College, 2003 M.Ed. University of Florida, 2006 A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the Department of Child, Family, and Community Sciences in the College of Education and Human Performance at the University of Central Florida Orlando, Florida Spring Term 2017 Major Professor: Rosa Cintrón © 2017 Natalia Leal Toro ii ABSTRACT Research points to Latino/a parents as an important source of motivation and support for high achieving Latino/a students who are the first in their families to go to college (Arellano & Padilla, 2006; Gándara, 1982; 1994; Hurtado & Sinha, 2006; Zalaquett, 2005); however, very little is known about their experience as they parent children whose educational paths are so different from their own. Cultural values such as collectivism and familism play a unique role in the level of connection between these parents and their children (Suárez-Orozco & Suárez-Orozco, 1995), creating dynamics that merit exploration. This dissertation qualitatively examines how seven Latino/a parents of first-generation college students pursuing a PhD expressed the parenting characteristics outlined in Parent Development Theory (Mowder, 2005). Furthermore, this study explores how these parents experienced their daughters’ higher education journey. Moustakas’ (1994) transcendental phenomenology was utilized in analyzing parents’ voices. The textural and structural descriptions of major and minor themes provided the essence of the parents’ experience. Example of themes are: “Pero la Apoyo - Uncertainty and Support for the PhD”, “Siempre Juntos - High Levels of Interaction”, and “Amor Compasivo - Distance, Pain and Sacrifice”. Recommendations include support for pre-doctoral preparation initiatives, co-curricular innovations, and the exploration of the impact of modern technologies on the communication between parents and their children while in college. iii To my loving husband, son, and parents for making this achievement possible. You believed in me, you supported me, and you motivated me every step of the way. This is ours. Los amo. And to my dear friend Carlene - Your spirit has been with me every day, guiding me. I will continue to make you proud. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This dissertation is the culmination of efforts by many incredible people. First, I would like to thank my dissertation chair, Dr. Rosa Cintrón. Thank you not only for your unwavering dedication and commitment to my success but also for showing me what it means to be a true teacher, mentor, and role model. I feel blessed to have been your student. Many thanks to my committee members, Dr. Gloria Laureano, Dr. Tom Owens, and Dr. Thomas Bryer who encouraged me and ensured that I would have the strongest dissertation possible. I admire each one of you and hope I made you proud. My deepest appreciation to the parents who made this dissertation possible. Thank you for sharing your stories with me. I am deeply humbled and grateful. To my McNair Scholars, whose journey inspired this dissertation - I believe in you; thank you for believing in me. To the amazing McNair staff, Michael Aldarondo- Jeffries, Ms. Arlene Ollivierre, Kathryn Thompson, Genesys Santana, and Michelle Aiello, I am grateful for your constant encouragement. I could not ask to be part of a better team. Dr. Mary Ann Lynn, Genesys Santana, Carly Williams, and Stephanie Valderrama, thank you for providing your editing and graphic design expertise. To my HEPS friends and peers, it was a true honor to have your company and support in this journey. And to my family - you sacrificed so much so that I could have this achievement, and for that I am eternally grateful. v TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................... ix LIST OF TABLES ...............................................................................................................x CHAPTER 1 THE PROBLEM AND ITS CLARIFYING COMPONENTS: ILLUMINATING AN UNKNOWN JOURNEY ................................................................1 Introduction ..............................................................................................................1 Problem Statement ...................................................................................................2 Purpose and Significance of Study ..........................................................................3 Theoretical Framework ............................................................................................4 Conceptualization ....................................................................................................6 Bonding ....................................................................................................... 7 Discipline .................................................................................................... 8 Education .................................................................................................... 8 General Welfare and Protection .................................................................. 9 Responsivity ................................................................................................ 9 Sensitivity ................................................................................................. 10 Research Questions ................................................................................................11 Definition of Terms................................................................................................11 Positionality ...........................................................................................................12 CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW: THE MISSING VOICES OF PARENTS .......15 Introduction ............................................................................................................15 Socioeconomic and Political Characteristics of the Latino/a Population ..............15 First-Generation Latino/a Students ........................................................................24 Parents in Higher Education ..................................................................................30 Latino/a Parents and Education .............................................................................34 Latino/a Parents as an Extension of their Children ................................... 34 Latino/a Parenting Styles .......................................................................... 37 Latino/a Parents: A Deficit for Students? ................................................. 40 Latino/a Parents: Conduits to Success? .................................................... 46 Parents and Latino/a Graduate Students ................................................... 52 Summary ................................................................................................................62 CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY: LATINO/A PARENTS IN A BODY OF TECHNIQUES ..................................................................................................................64 Introduction ............................................................................................................64 Research Design and Rationale .............................................................................64 Interviews ...............................................................................................................66 Research Questions and Interview Protocol ..........................................................67 vi Participant Selection and Recruitment ...................................................................69 Site of Research .....................................................................................................72 Validation Strategies ..............................................................................................74 IRB Approval and Ethical Considerations .............................................................76 Confidentiality .......................................................................................................76 Originality Score ....................................................................................................77 Summary ................................................................................................................78 CHAPTER 4 PORTRAITS OF THE PARENTS .............................................................79