Syracuse University SURFACE Dissertations - ALL SURFACE 12-2013 The Conceptions and Practices of Motherhood among Indo- Caribbean immigrant mothers in the United States: A Qualitative Study Darshini T. Roopnarine Follow this and additional works at: https://surface.syr.edu/etd Part of the International and Area Studies Commons, and the Sociology Commons Recommended Citation Roopnarine, Darshini T., "The Conceptions and Practices of Motherhood among Indo-Caribbean immigrant mothers in the United States: A Qualitative Study" (2013). Dissertations - ALL. 8. https://surface.syr.edu/etd/8 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the SURFACE at SURFACE. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations - ALL by an authorized administrator of SURFACE. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Abstract This qualitative study examines multiple facets of motherhood among thirty Indo- Caribbean immigrant mothers living in Queens and Schenectady, New York, in the United States. These women belong to a growing Indo-Caribbean population that immigrated over the last forty years to the U.S. Indo-Caribbean families share a unique historical and cultural footprint that combines experiences, traditions, and practices from three distinct locations: India, Caribbean nations, and the United States. Despite the complex socio-cultural tapestry of this group, currently, little information is available about this group, including a lack of research on motherhood. Using the tenets of Social Feminism Perspectives, Gender Identity, and the Cultural-Ecological Framework, Indo-Caribbean immigrant mothers were interviewed using open-ended questions concerning their conceptions and practices of motherhood and the socio- cultural values influencing their schemas about motherhood within the context of life in the U.S. The mothers’ testimonials were analyzed using both NVivo 10 and the traditional high-lighter method. The analysis revealed that participants: (1) viewed motherhood as a life changing experience, a blessing, and a huge lifetime responsibility; (2) maintained a primary nurturing role modeled by their own mothers, but worked to avoid the struggles that they and their mothers experienced in order to provide for a better life for themselves and their children; (3) valued high expectations for their children’s behavior including respect for authorities, good behavior, hard work, and academic excellence along with high levels of control and harsh discipline when these expectations were violated (although there was a tendency for discipline to be less extreme than what they had experienced as children); (4) maintained a strong value in educating their children about their religious and cultural heritage and sought out communities that would provide social support for these values. The findings provide a basis for understanding how factors within the family of origin and the socio-cultural environment of the participant’s childhood and her new environments, in the U.S. shape her conceptions of motherhood and parenting practices. Conceptualizations and Practices of Motherhood among Indo-Caribbean Immigrant Mothers Living in the United States: A Qualitative Investigation by Darshini T. Roopnarine B.S. Cazenovia College, 1997 M.S.W. Syracuse University, 2004 DISSERTATION Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Child and Family Studies in the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Development Syracuse University December 2013 Copyright © Darshini T. Roopnarine, 2013 All Rights Reserved Acknowledgement I would like to thank my advisor, Dr. Jaipaul Roopnarine for his support, time, and advice during my graduate education. I would also like to thank the amazing faculty who dedicated their time on my dissertation committee, Dr. Ambika Krishnakumar, Dr. Frances Pestello, Dr. Sandy Lane, Dr. Bruce Carter, and Dr. Alejandro Garcia. I am also beyond grateful to all of the participants who trusted me with their stories. Through their motivational stories, struggles, and life challenges, I have walked away being a better person. Special thanks to Pravinee Shiwnarain (Vinee), Pandit Jai, Steve Kulick, Lisa Lessun, Martha Ramsey and Jean Brown for their support during the dissertation process. I am forever thankful to my students for their encouragement, motivation, laughter and hours of studying together. I would also like to thank my mother and Grandma Greta for their sacrifices and, most of all, their prayers; I could not have completed this degree without both of them. I believe that everything in life happens for a reason and, through working on this degree, I have encountered many obstacles along the way, but what it has taught me is that God and my family’s love and support are the most precious gifts. This journey has made me realize how much these individuals mean to me. To my amazing husband, Ryan, I would not be where I am today without your unconditional love and support. This degree is as much yours at it is mine. To my beautiful children, my journey to being a mother was accompanied by many miscarriages and complications. Through it all, I was blessed with two miracle babies, Aadesh Jai and Amiya Uma to whom I dedicate this accomplishment. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be your mother; it will be a role that I will never take for granted and will always cherish. In completing this degree, I was away from you countless nights and weekends and, even though the separation was extremely difficult; your laughter and love is what kept me going. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS page Abstract…………………………………………………………………………..……… i Title page…………………………………………………………………………..…….. ii Copyright ………………………………………………………………………………... iii Acknowledgements……………………………………………………………………… iv Table of Contents………………………………………………………………………… v List of Appendices and Figures….………………………………………………………. vii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION………………………………………………..……..... 1 Background of the Study……………………………………………………………... 1 Gaps in the Literature about Indo-Caribbean immigrant Families and Motherhood… 2 The Present Study…………………………………………………………………….. 4 Constructing Identities of Motherhood for Immigrant Women ……………………... 5 Existing Literature on Indo-Caribbean Families is outdated………………………… 6 CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKS ……………...……………………... 10 Social Feminism Perspectives………………………………………………............... 11 Gender Identity Perspectives....…………………………………………..................... 14 Cultural-Ecological Framework……………………………………………………… 16 CHAPTER III: RESEARCH AND BACKGROUND ON INDO-CARIBBEANS....….. 19 Experiences in the Caribbean ……...………………………………………………… 20 Immigration to the United States…………………………………………………….. 23 Adjustments as Challenges…………………………………………………………… 26 Ethnic Identity……………………………………………………………………….. 27 Adjustments as Successes …………………………………………………………… 32 CHAPTER IV: RESEARCH AND BACKGROUND ON MOTHERHOOD ….……… 34 Historical Review……………………………………………………………………. 35 Motherhood in North American Industrialized Societies……………………………. 37 Mothering in an Indo-Caribbean Cultural Context…………………………………… 42 Religious and Cultural Practices……………………………………………………… 43 Couple Relationship………………………………………………………………….. 44 Parenting and Child Rearing Practices………………………………………………. 47 Disciplinary Practices………………………………………………………………… 49 Separation and Reunification………………………………………………………… 51 The Second Shift-Changing Perspectives……………………………………………. 55 Extended Family Networks………………………………………………………….. 57 CHAPTER V: METHODS …..………………………………………………………..... 59 Qualitative Research Design ….……………………………………………………… 60 Sample………………………………………………………………………………... 61 v Procedures……………………………………………………………………………. 62 Measures……………………………………………………………………………… 63 Data analysis………………………..………………………………………………… 64 Reflections of Participant’s Homes…………………………………………………... 67 Journaling………………………………………………………………………………. 68 Validity and Trustworthiness …………………………………………………..…….. 70 CHAPTER VI: RESULTS ……………………………………………………….……... 72 Description of Sample ………………………………………………………………. 72 Theme 1: Intense Mothering…………………………………………………………… 74 A. Life-changing……………………………………………….............................. 75 B. Blessings……………………………………………………………………… 80 C. A Huge responsibility being a mother……………………………………….. 83 Theme 2: Participant’s Relationship with their mother 85 A. Their mother’s nurture and sacrifice ……………………………………….. 86 B. Their mother’s struggles …………………………………..………………... 90 C. Financial Hardships ………………………………………………………… 98 Theme 3: Indo-Caribbean Influences on current parenting ….……………………. 102 A. High expectations……………….……………………………………………. 102 B. Strong values and beliefs…………………………………………………….... 104 C. Good behavior………………………………………………………………… 105 D. Discipline …………………………………………………………………….. 106 Theme 4: Cultural and Religious Practices…………………………………………... 110 CHAPTER VII: CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS ……………………..………. 116 Implications for Practice……………………………………………………………… 129 Limitations of this Study…………………………………………………………… 131 Recommendations for Future Research………………………………………………. 132 APPENDICES ………………………………………………………………………….. 133 REFERENCES…………………………………………………………………………... 142 VITA .…............................................................................................................................ 169 vi LIST OF FIGURES page Figure 1. NVivo 10’s Model of Intense Mothering …………………………………… 74 Figure 2. NVivo 10’s Model of Participant’s Relationship with their Mothers.…..…… 85 Figure 3. NVivo 10’s Model of Indo-Caribbean Influences …………………………… 102 Figure 4. NVivo 10’s Model of Cultural and