Do Mothers' Experiences Count? An Actor-Partner Interdependence Model of Language Brokering Experiences in Mexican Immigrant Families

J Youth Adolesc. 2022 May;51(5):888-903. doi: 10.1007/s10964-022-01586-5. Epub 2022 Mar 5.

Abstract

Language brokering is a shared parent-child experience with implications for parent-child relationships and, in turn, individuals' psychological well-being; however, few studies recognize the role of parents. This study took a dyadic approach to investigate the association between brokering experiences and internalizing symptoms, and the mediating role of parent-child alienation. Participants were 604 Mexican-origin adolescents (54% female, Mage = 12.41) and their mothers (N = 595). Both adolescents' and their mothers' brokering experiences were related to their own internalizing symptoms via their self-reported parent-child alienation. Mothers' brokering experiences also affected adolescents so that when mothers experienced more negative brokering experiences, adolescents perceived greater parent-child alienation, and in turn more internalizing symptoms, suggesting the necessity of considering language brokering's influence on members involved as a dyadic process.

Keywords: Actor-partner interdependence model; Internalizing symptoms; Language brokering; Mexican-origin adolescents and mothers; Parent-child alienation.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Child
  • Emigrants and Immigrants*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Language*
  • Male
  • Mothers
  • Parent-Child Relations
  • Parents / psychology
  • Translating