The self efficacy and perceptions of communication patterns of parents with adolescent children from South Asian and Middle Eastern immigrant families in North Texas

This study used a descriptive research design to investigate the perceptions of immigrant parents of the Middle Eastern and South Asian regions concerning communications with their adolescent children, the relationships of Self-Efficacy and Family Communication Patterns. Demographic data included the parents' education level, gender, age, marital status, number of years in the U.S., and country of origin. The participants for the study were 205 parents from Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Saudi Arabia and Iran. The online survey questionnaires were completed in Psychdata.com and the printed copy questionnaires were completed at events of selected organizations such as Islamic Center of Irving, Academy of Bangla Arts and Culture, Promote Bangla, and Bangladeshi Association of North Texas.

The study compared differences in General Self Efficacy Scale (GSE) scores by years in the United States and levels of education (Luszczynska & Schwarzer, 2005). Additionally, the study compared differences of General Self-Efficacy scale scores between Middle Eastern and South Asian parents.

The findings of the study conveyed the perceptions of South Asian and Middle Eastern immigrant parents concerning communications with their adolescent children. The study revealed the differences in Revised Family Communication Patterns (RFCP) subscale scores when comparing groups by years in the United States and by levels of education (Ritchie & Fitzpatrick, 1990). The results showed a positive significant correlation between GSE scale scores and the Conversation Orientation subscale scores and a negative non-significant correlation with the Conformity Orientation subscale scores.

The majority of parents' reported their education levels as "college graduate" and "graduate degree" in this study. The percentage of mothers that participated in the survey was greater than the percentage of fathers. There were more Bangladeshi and Iranian parents than any other country of origin. The Self-Efficacy of South Asian parents received a higher score than the Middle Eastern parents. The results showed that Middle Eastern parents were stricter than South Asian parents, based on the Conformity Orientation subscale.