Citation

Halford WK, Leung P, Hung-Cheung C, Chau-Wan L, Hiew D, Van de Vijver FJR. Fam. Process 2018; 57(4): 996-1011.

Affiliation

North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Family Process Institute, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/famp.12337

PMID

29238961

Abstract

Rates of international migration are increasing, which raises the question of how migration might influence couple relationship standards and impact on the standards of migrants forming intercultural relationships. We compared relationship standards in n = 286 Chinese living in Hong Kong, China, with standards in n = 401 Chinese migrants to a Western country (Australia) by administering the Chinese-Western Intercultural Couple Standards Scale (CWICSS). We also compared these two groups to n = 312 Westerners living in Australia. We first tested the structural invariance of the CWICSS across the three samples with a multigroup confirmatory factor analysis. There was marginal but acceptable fit of a model of two positively correlated latent factors: Couple Bond (with four indicators, such as demonstration of love and caring) and Family Responsibility (also with four indicators, such as extended family relations and preserving face). Within the limitations of the study, results suggest migration is associated predominantly with differences in women's, but not men's, relationship standards. Migrant Chinese women show alignment of Couple Bond standards with Western standards, and divergence of Family Responsibility standards from Western standards.

DISCUSSION focused on how migration and intercultural relationship experiences might differentially influence various domains of relationship standards, gender differences in migration effects on standards, and the implications for working with culturally diverse couples.

© 2017 Family Process Institute.

Language: en

Keywords

Acculturation; Chinese; Couple Relationship; Migration; Relationship Standard; Western; aculturación; chino; migración; occidental; relación de pareja; valores de la relación; 中国人; 伴侣关系; 关系标准; 文化适应; 移民; 西方的