Frequently Asked Questions

1. What was the inspiration behind this research study?
   • I was initially inspired to do this research for two personal reasons: 1) because of my own struggles and experiences as the oldest 2nd generation daughter of a Korean immigrant family; 2) and my many conversations with friends and acquaintances, whose current views, relationships, and experiences had been formatively shaped by their struggles growing up in different kinds of families. Over the course of the research, I began to learn more and more about the lives of children from diverse Asian immigrant families and was moved by how much emotional, financial, and physical investment was involved in trying to relate to parents, siblings, and relatives and help them navigate the hardships associated with the immigration experience. I've also been ingratiated by their willingness to tell their personal stories, which has given me more motivation to invest myself both personally and professionally in this research.
2. What is your "hypothesis" about Asian immigrant families?
   • The methodological approach of this research study is based on what sociologists call "grounded theory"-which generally means that any theory must emerge from the views and experiences of my research participants and not from any pre-determined hypothesis I establish that may bias both the researcher and research participants' views before we have the opportunity to interact.
     • What this means is that:
       1. I begin my study with a general conceptual framework but not with any clearly-defined hypothesis I am trying to "test";
       2. If acceptable, I will probably try not to divulge too much about the study before we talk since it may "bias" your responses (unless of course the participant makes a specific request).
   • The general conceptual framework of the study explores the way different familial experiences, household structures, and childhood roles/ responsibilities shape the ethnic identities, cultural values, and relationships of sons and daughters of Asian immigrant families in their adult years. One conference paper I'm working on indicates that the ethnic identities of these children are formatively shaped by how well they are socially and emotionally "integrated" into the family. The degree of familial integration depends on factors such as gender, birth order, inter-generational communication, and class/ employment situation of the parents. The research study is still in its formative stages, so I do not yet have specific hypotheses, but if you are still concerned, I'd be happy to discuss some of the initial findings with you in person, preferably after the interview. You are welcome to withdraw your participation at any point. I'm also in the processes of establishing a website that will provide a progress report on the status of the study, as well as any conference papers or publications that emerge from this study.
3. Why do you need my help?
   • Partly because I want to avoid providing an incomplete picture of Asian immigrant families based on interviews with people from similar backgrounds. And partly because I do not want to prevent any class of individuals from sharing their stories and partaking in this research, only because I was unable to reach them. For this reason, I've tried to recruit interviewees from diverse backgrounds using different methods-from soliciting individual referrals to attending organizational events to posting ads on craigslist. Even after all of this, I've been unable to find people from certain backgrounds (see question #4) and would greatly appreciate your help in reaching out to this population. Even if you do not want to participate, any insight on what I can do to find and help more people like yourself will be greatly appreciated.
4. What types of people are you looking to interview?
   • Research participants must satisfy the following background criteria to qualify for the study:
     1. must be Chinese, Taiwanese or Korean Americans between the ages of 25-40
     2. must have been born in the U.S. or immigrated to the U.S. before elementary school (usu. before age five) and have parents who are foreign-born Chinese, Taiwanese or Korean immigrants
     3. must have lived in the New York/ New Jersey metropolitan area for at least three years
   • In addition to the above criteria, I am especially looking for volunteers from the following hard-to-reach populations:
   • 4. Asian Americans whose friends and romantic partners are majority White Americans (not Asian American)
   • 5. OR LGBT (lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender) Asian Americans
   • 6. OR Asian Americans who are married and/ or have children
   • 7. OR Asian Americans who raised themselves while growing up (e.g. because both parents worked long hours)
   • Volunteers do not have to fulfill criteria #4-7 to qualify but are especially welcome to share their stories.
5. Will there be any possible negative consequences from participating in the study?
   • There is no serious negative effect I can think of that is likely to stem from your involvement, other than possible discomfort in answering personal questions. However, these questions are open-ended, and you are free to answer or disregard any question you please. You are also free to withdraw from the study at any time, even after the study is complete. Occasionally unexpected things happen, but I will do everything in my capacity to prevent such surprises.
6. What will I get out of this research study?
   • It's hard to say for sure since it depends on where you are coming from, but I can say there are potentially both individual and collective benefits that may come from your participation in the study:
   • One thing I've been told by a number of interviewees is the "therapeutic" benefits they get from sharing their stories with a complete stranger. Some interviewees enjoy the opportunity to share their stories to someone who doesn't know them personally or professionally. Others report that the questions have made them think about issues or recognize feelings they never thought they had before the interview. Still others want the general struggles and hardships of their families to be known to the rest of the world, even if their identities are kept anonymous. A few interviewees told me they participated in the study for the $15 payment-which might not go far in New York City but does get you half a meal!
   • My personal hope is that this study will provide more information on the dynamics of immigrant family culture as they impact the socio-psychological development of native-born children, which may help to improve social service delivery to immigrant families and their children. Among other things, the findings may help to challenge some of the assumptions that mainstream American society may have about the experiences of children in Asian immigrant families and give people like yourself the opportunity to share your stories to others. The insights may also be useful in helping community-based organizations and social service agencies work with immigrant youth and family in the future.
7. Will my information be kept anonymous and confidential?
   • The findings from this study are kept strictly confidential. Because I and any research staff I employ will know who you are, the study itself can not be classified as completely "anonymous," but your name and any specific identifiers that may make you recognizable to a general audience will be kept "confidential" from everyone else. The consent form, which is signed by both the researcher and the research participant and approved by IRB, outlines the various steps I will take to protect your confidentiality. The research study was carefully reviewed by an IRB panel from the Office of Research Compliance at the University at Albany, which is responsible for promoting responsible, legal and ethical conduct among researchers doing any projects on human subjects.