Family Functioning and Psychological Well-Being in Vietnamese Adolescents

Authors

Quang Duong Tran, University of Hawaii, Manoa
Cheryl A. Richey, University of Washington

Abstract

This paper presents an exploratory study that examines the influences of family functioning on the psychological well-being in a sample of Vietnamese adolescents. Thirty Vietnamese families from the King County area in the state of Washington participated in this study. Thirty adolescents between 13 and 19 years of age and 53 parents (27fathers and 26 mothers) responded to self-reported questionnaires. Data analysis was conducted to provide a descriptive "picture" of family and individual characteristics associated with Vietnamese adolescents' psychological well-being. Gender differences were apparent with Vietnamese female adolescents reporting higher mean scores on depressive symptoms and lower mean scores on self-esteem. These findings are consistent with prior research on Euro- American adolescents, where females reported more depressive symptoms and lower self-esteem than did their male counterparts. Further, mean scores on adolescents' reports of problems relating to parents were higher for females than males. These adolescents reported more family cohesiveness and parental supports, particularly from their fathers. Implications for future research, practice, and policy are also discussed.

Recommended Citation

Tran, Quang Duong and Richey, Cheryl A. (1997) "Family Functioning and Psychological Well-Being in Vietnamese Adolescents," The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare: Vol. 24: Iss. 1, Article 4.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15453/0191-5096.2396
Available at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/jssw/vol24/iss1/4