Who am I? The Experience of Identity Change in Young Chinese Independent Migrants Living in Canada
Date
2023-12-20
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Migration trends over the past two decades have revealed a unique group of Asian international students who have left home to continue their education in the North American K-12 school systems. Within the literature, these students are referred to as parachute kids, independent migrants, or unaccompanied minors, denoting those sent to live and study abroad without their parents. This experience can have deep and long-lasting impacts. Not only do parachute kids experience a unique array of challenges, including psychological, relational, academic, and cross-cultural adjustment difficulties, but also they must navigate these without the presence of their parents. Although studies have explored the adjustment challenges faced by parachute kids, little research has been conducted on the long-term impacts of this experience, particularly as it relates to identity development. As such, the goal of this study was to explore Chinese unaccompanied minors’ experience of independently migrating to and growing up in Canada, with the primary aim of examining how they understand their changing sense of identity. My research question guiding this inquiry was “How do former Chinese independent migrants understand their changing sense of identity within the context of migrating to Canada as unaccompanied minors?” I adopted the qualitative methodology, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), to guide this multi-perspectival study. I recruited 11 participants (21–27 years old, five female and six male) who identified as having been parachute kids in Canada. I conducted individual audio-taped, in-depth, semi-structured interviews, in which I asked each participant about their experiences of independent migration, particularly as they related to their view of self. Following the steps of IPA, I analyzed the interviews, leading to the generation of themes that represented the ways in which participants understood their experience. The study findings included four Group Experiential Themes: (a) Living in an Alien World, (b) Impact on Relationships, (c) Identity Development and Change, and (d) Advice to Future Independent Migrants. I examine these findings within the context of relevant literature, outline the study’s strengths and limitations, and discuss their implications for future research, theory, and practice.
Description
Keywords
parachute kids, independent migrants, unaccompanied minors, identity development
Citation
Chan Kent, A. S. (2023). Who am I? The experience of identity change in young Chinese independent migrants living in Canada (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.