A comparative study of family functioning among vietnamese and cambodian refugees

James K. Boehnlein, Hung D. Tran, Crystal Riley, Kim Chi Vu, Sarady Tan, Paul K. Leung

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

20 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study was designed to determine the extent of family problems among a clinic population of Cambodian and Vietnamese refugees, and to identify similarities and differences between the two groups. All 107 patients with adolescent children from a total clinic population of 298 were interviewed using a semistructured questionnaire, results were tabulated, and statistical methods were applied. The types of problems with children described by parents were classified into the dimensions of communication, personal behaviors, school performance, social behaviors, and antisocial behaviors. There were significantly more problems described by Vietnamese parents as compared with Cambodian parents. Vietnamese parents reported significantly more dissatisfaction with life in the United States. For both ethnic groups, parents' relationships with their adolescent children were a major source of concern and had a major impact on parents' perceptions of their own health. Yet, there were important ethnic differences between these refugee groups in how patients perceived their problems.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)763-768
Number of pages6
JournalJournal of Nervous and Mental Disease
Volume183
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 1995

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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