University of Central Florida STARS Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019 2016 Afro-Caribbean Parental Influence: amilyF Chronicles of the Educational Journey From Child to Medical Student Carlene Grant University of Central Florida Part of the Educational Leadership 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 Grant, Carlene, "Afro-Caribbean Parental Influence: amilyF Chronicles of the Educational Journey From Child to Medical Student" (2016). Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019. 4868. https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd/4868 AFRO-CARIBBEAN PARENTAL INFLUENCE: FAMILY CHRONICLES OF THE EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY FROM CHILD TO MEDICAL STUDENT by CARLENE D. GRANT B.S. University of Toronto, 1998 M.S. University of Central Florida, 2001 A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the Higher Education & Policy Studies Program in the College of Education and Human Performance at the University of Central Florida Orlando, Florida Spring Term 2016 Major Professor: Rosa Cintrón © Carlene D. Grant 2016 ii ABSTRACT Many ethnic groups in the United States have struggled for the opportunity to be identified as an individual group. In academia, these students are often aggregated into a larger category, with little acknowledgment for the difference in their cultural heritage. Along with these cultural differences, Afro-Caribbean parents and their children are met with other challenges in the pursuit of lifelong goals (Sowell, 1978). The decision to become a medical doctor is one that can often not be made alone. Using the framework of Cultural Ecological Theory and Social Construction (Ogbu 1990, 1992; Berger & Luckman, 1991) this study was conducted to determine whether Afro-Caribbean parents influence their children to become medical doctors. The research results in this qualitative study identified major themes, among others, to include: (1) collaborative efforts in pursuit of dreams and goals, (2) surpassing parental achievements and (3) the ability to cope with negative experiences. Afro-Caribbean parents, students, faculty and administrators in higher education can gain from the findings of this study, an awareness of the importance of trusted relationships and early exposure to health careers. Keywords: Afro-Caribbean, parents, children, career, medicine, medical doctor, diversity, within group, culture, higher education iii To my entire family: My dad, Mervyn, aka ‘Gerry’, you taught me the importance of securing a good education. I remember being at your graduation when you received your Bachelor’s degree. That has always been an inspiration to me, along with your unwavering encouragement and support. My mother, Yvonne, your never ending support has given me the strength to continue on, even when things seemed grim. You taught me to have faith and to remember that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. My brother, Gerrard, you gave me pep talks during the highs and the lows and encouraged me to plug away and keep going. The regular check-in’s, motivational talks and you tube clips helped keep me inspired to see this through to the end. My son, Cameron, you challenged me and inspired me in every way unimaginable during this process. From making sure that I did “my homework,” to giving me big hugs when I returned from a full day at the library working on my dissertation. I am hopeful that what you have seen will have a positive effect on you in the years to come. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The completion of this dissertation has been an arduous and challenging journey. First, thank you God for giving me health and strength to overcome a few curveballs so that I could achieve my dream. This journey was not walked alone. I was fortunate to meet some wonderful people along the way and their kind words, suggestions and knowledge have greatly inspired me. My dissertation committee gave me their time and attention and made valuable contributions to this dissertation: Dr. Kevin Meehan, with whom I had the opportunity to take a Caribbean Literature class, your passion and knowledge of Caribbean culture makes me even more proud of my heritage. I sincerely appreciate all that you have done to ensure that my manuscript was robust. My heartfelt appreciation goes to Dr. Matthew Munyon for taking the time to meet with me and provide me with suggestions for this study. Your commitment and willingness to be available for help will always be remembered. A genuine thank you to Dr. J. Thomas Owens. Your expert knowledge of research and methodology are unmatched. To my chair, Dr. Rosa Cintrón, there simply are not enough words to express my gratitude. You believed in me when I entered the program as a non-degree student. I so much admire your spirit, your vast knowledge of the field and your commitment to those who possess the desire to learn. Your tireless efforts, your passion, and dedication are only a small facet of your brilliance. Your expectations were high, and as such I was expected to meet them. For this journey, I will be forever grateful. I am honored to be your student. v Colleen Moran-Bano, M.D., M.S. thank you for encouraging me in my dream. Your patience, understanding, and support while I wore multiple hats means so much to me. The parents and the medical students who participated in this study; without you there would have been nothing. Thank you for taking the time from your busy schedules to work with me on this study. It is very much appreciated. Your insights will be an added voice of Afro-Caribbean people across the globe. Thank you to Dr. Mary Ann Lynn, my editor. Your proficiency is like none other. Your magic touch gave life to my manuscript. To my HEPS friends and peers, thank you for speaking words of wisdom, giving encouragement and being a shoulder to lean on. To my friends and extended family, I also express sincere gratitude for your patience, for your calls, texts and emails that kept me inspired to keep going. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................ x LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................. xi CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................ 1 Background ............................................................................................................. 1 Statement of the Problem ........................................................................................ 6 Purpose and Significance of the Study ................................................................. 10 Conceptual Framework ......................................................................................... 13 Cultural Ecological Theory (CET)............................................................ 14 Social Construction ............................................................................................... 18 Research Questions ............................................................................................... 20 Definition of Terms............................................................................................... 21 Positionality .......................................................................................................... 21 Summary ............................................................................................................... 23 CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW .......................................................................... 25 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 25 Immigration and Identification ............................................................................. 27 Self Identification...................................................................................... 28 Within-group Distinction .......................................................................... 30 Ethnicity in Other Cultures ....................................................................... 32 Parenting ............................................................................................................... 35 Culture....................................................................................................... 36 Parenting Styles ........................................................................................ 38 Parental Influence on Education and Vocation ......................................... 41 Parental Expectation ................................................................................. 42 Ethnic Socialization .................................................................................. 45 Ecological Influence ................................................................................. 47 Socioeconomic Status ............................................................................... 49 Students and Career Selection .............................................................................. 51 First Generation Students and Parent Academic