The Implication of Childhood Adultification on the Mental Health of Young Adults Among Chinese and Taiwanese Immigrant Families

Abstract

The present study examined the impact of adultification on the mental health of Chinese immigrant young adults. Given the emphasis of Chinese cultural norms on interdependence and filial piety, I also explored whether family obligation attitudes influence how Chinese immigrant young adults perceive adultification experiences. Findings indicated that family obligation attitudes have a moderating effect on adultifcation when adultification plays a mediating role between acculturative stress and psychological distress, and on the well-being of Chinese immigrant young adults. The findings suggested that Chinese immigrant offspring who hold very traditional familial attitudes and are highly committed to family obligations tend to reinforce the effect of acculturative stress on adultification, although acculturative stress did not significantly predict adultification experiences. In addition, the findings also indicated that when adultification experiences were at the highest level, they served to strengthen the effect of acculturative stress on mental health outcomes. According to the study findings, taking the cultural value of the emphasis on Chinese family obligation into consideration when interpreting adultification experiences and its impact on the mental health outcomes among Chinese immigrant young adults is crucial.