The Influence of Homeland Culture on First-Generation Immigrants Caring for Children with Autism
Ph.D. in Educational Studies, Graduate School of Education, Lesley University
How they used Delve
A doctoral candidate in Lesley University's Graduate School of Education used Delve to code semi-structured interviews with five first-generation immigrant parents of children with autism (five initial and five follow-up interviews), plus field notes and the parents' photographs and artifacts, in an empirical phenomenological study of how homeland culture shapes caregiving and navigation of U.S. special education. Open coding began in Delve without prescribed codes, followed by axial and selective coding.
“After the initial data review, in addition to coding by hand, the researcher used the DELVE software (Twenty to Nine LLC, 2019) to analyze the data collected from the interview protocol and tangible objects. The researcher's notes were also coded. [...] The DELVE software scrutinized the field notes, interviews, and other data documents line by line and broke the data down into smaller manageable "chunks," fragments or patterns of narrative data to permit the data to be divided, inspected, and grouped (Christensen, 2017, p. 84). In seeking to allow the codes to emerge from the participants' words, the DELVE program was not loaded with prescribed codes.”
- Field
- special education; autism; immigrant families
- Data
- Five initial and five follow-up semi-structured Zoom interviews with five first-generation immigrant parents (transcribed with Temi), researcher observations and field notes from advocacy work with the families, and photographs and artifacts chosen by the parents
- Approach
- Empirical phenomenology (Van Manen cited); three-stage open, axial and selective coding after Corbin & Strauss, with in-vivo codes, analytic memos and researcher observations
- Data types
- Interviews, Observation, Documents
Abstract
The increase in the prevalence of autism to 1 in 44 children born in the U.S. (Maenner et al., 2021) coupled with the nation’s growing immigrant population led to this study’s investigation of the influence of homeland culture on lived experiences of five first-generation immigrant parents caring for children with autism. This empirical phenomenological study explored parental decision-making, family roles and responsibilities, and outcome expectations for their children with autism through semi-structured interviews, evidence garnered from participants’ photographs and artifacts, and researcher observations of parents’ interactions with educational and related services personnel. The study’s six findings support and extend academic literature related to the importance of emotional and functional support from homeland associations and intergenerational familial relationships, the repercussions stemming from a lack of homeland experience with disability and autism, and the challenges that participants faced when navigating unfamiliar U.S. systems. The fact that all five participants from different global regions shared similar perceptions and experienced common challenges in navigating and securing services in different schools for their children with autism highlights the need for attention to the cultural factors associated with providing special education services to a diverse population. Findings may provide a catalyst for further research, including larger participant samples to learn if first-generation immigrant parents’ experiences are similar for children with other special education needs and to identify effective approaches in helping special educators and related service personnel gain greater understanding and consideration for the influence of culture on immigrant families’ parenting practices for children with autism and other disabilities.
Citation
Paula Frances Duggins (2022). The Influence of Homeland Culture on First-Generation Immigrants Caring for Children with Autism. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses (Lesley University).