Acculturation and Conflict in Mexican Immigrants' Intimate Partnerships: The Role of Women's Labor Force Participation

• NCJ Number: 228874
• Journal: Violence Against Women Volume: 15 Issue: 10 Dated: October 2009 Pages: 1194-1212
• Author(s): Joseph G. Grzywacz; Pamela Rao; Amanda Gentry; Antonio Marin; Thomas A. Arcury
• Date Published: October 2009
• Length: 19 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Wake Forest University
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined whether immigrants from Mexico residing in the United States attributed conflict in their intimate relationships to women's participation in paid employment.

Abstract

The study found that Mexican women's employment in the United States had created at least three distinct challenges to gender-based beliefs and values of Mexican culture, which had created stress in intimate relationships. First, women's employment outside the home meant that men could no longer rely on their female partners to take care of all the household tasks in the manner to which they were accustomed in Mexico. Second, women's employment and earnings made them feel less financially dependent on their male partners. This made them more independent of their male partners when making financial decisions for themselves and their children. Third, women's employment outside the home increased their opportunities to interact with other women and men, which challenged Mexican men's control over their female partner's exposure to the influences and attractions of others. These threats to culturally held norms were described by study participants as sources of conflict within their intimate relationships, largely because of the lack of clear guidance or models of how to cope with new roles and experiences for Mexican women in the United States. This research identifies specific areas in which Mexican immigrants and their families may need assistance in adapting to socioeconomic life in the United States. Data collection was done in Caldwell and Catawba counties in western North Carolina, which were selected because they have experienced significant growth in their Latino populations since the 1990s. The study sample consisted of 10 men and 10 women who were born in Mexico and were currently or had recently experienced intimate partner violence. Data were collected through semistructured interviews. 44 references