[Symposium 5] A Cross-cultural Comparison of the Impact of Immigration on Parent-Child Relationships in Japan, Spain, and the U.S.

[SY-5-02] Immigration and the Loss of Shared Language and Cultural Identity Between Parents and Children: Clinical Reflections on East African and East Asian Families in the U.S.

*Cheiron Sariko McMahill (Kannon Healing Counseling PLLC(United States of America))

Keywords:

Attachment theory and immigration,Parent-child estrangement,Immigrant families in the U.S.

Immigration is a transformative and often traumatic experience that can disrupt parent-child bonds. According to attachment theory, developed by John Bowlby, stable caregiver relationships are essential for a child’s emotional development. Research shows that immigrant children frequently experience prolonged separations from their parents, either because parents migrate first to establish stability or due to legal and logistical delays in reunification (Berger Cardoso, 2018). Even after reunification, these early disruptions can lead to altered attachment dynamics, including emotional distance or conflict (Suarez-Orozco et al., 2011). This presentation builds on existing literature by exploring how, in addition to or even without physical separations, the loss of a shared language or cultural identity can lead to emotional estrangement, unresolved grief, and shame within the family system (McMahill, 2024). Examples are drawn from cases of young adult clients of East African and East Asian heritage in a U.S. psychotherapy setting. The aim is to enhance cross-cultural sensitivity among mental health professionals working with immigrant families.