The Child, The Parent, The Advocate by Catalina Cayetano A Thesis Presented in Partial

299 Pages·2013·2.28 MB·English

Mexican-Origin Circumstantial Bilingual:

The Child, The Parent, The Advocate

by

Catalina Cayetano

A Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Arts

Approved November 2013 by the
Graduate Supervisory Committee:

Lindsey Meân, Chair
Vincent Waldron
Cynthia Gaffney

ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY

December 2013
© 2013Catalina Cayetano
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
ABSTRACT
In order to adapt to a new culture and new language, children of immigrant
families are faced daily with the responsibility of being the intermediaries between the
family and the host culture through their language proficiency (Weisskirch & Alva,
2002). This thesis looks into the experiences of English-Spanish bilingual children as
they bridge the gap between the family and the non-Spanish speaking community through
their interpreting/translating skills. With an emphasis on children of Mexican-origin, the
goal is to further understand and illuminate how these children manage this
communication in an adult society, their feelings and thoughts about their experiences,
and the child’s perceptions about the influence that this experience may or may not have
on their future.
A sample of seventeen children agreed to participate in a semi-structured face-to-
face interview to share their experiences. The data from these interviews were analyzed
using a thematic analysis approach (Braun & Clarke, 2006). A priori themes of
circumstantial bilingual and adaptive parentification were the initial focus of the research
while being open to emerging themes.
The children’s accounts of their experiences indicated primarily that the Mexican-
origin values of familism and respeto (respect) were a significant influence on them when
they interpreted/translated for their family. With these traditional cultural values and
norms as the groundwork, the sub-themes of normalcy and stress emerged as supportive
elements of the circumstantial bilingual experience. Furthermore, the theme of adaptive
parentification and the sub-themes of choice, expectation/responsibility to assist, and
equality to parents offered further insight on how adaptive parentification can result as
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the roles of these children change. There was an emergent theme, identity negotiation,
which increases our understanding of what the circumstantial bilingual child encounters
as the attempt is made to negotiate his identity as an individual who has to mediate
language between two opposing cultures.
Due to the language brokering responsibility that are bestowed upon these
children, it is concluded that communicative support by the parents is a necessary
component of the parent-child relationship in order to nurture and develop these children
as they negotiate and create their identity to become the successful leaders of tomorrow.

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DEDICATION
I would like to dedicate this work to my brother, Ramon Jr., who left me four
years ago and is no longer with me to witness what he always knew that I could achieve-
my college education. I know you are watching me from up above dear brother of mine.
I also would like to dedicate this to my husband, Pedro Jr., and to my children, Pedro III
and Carolina, who without their love and support I would have not been able to achieve
throughout the years, any of my “crazy adventures” that have required countless hours of
work, sacrifice, and determination. Pedro Jr., gracias por siempre ser mi apoyo y el gran
hombre que siempre me hace brillar. Pedro III and Carolina, thanks for always being that
driving force behind me to achieve my dreams and for always inspiring me to do the best
that I can. ¡Los amo con todo mi corazón mis bebes hermosos! Lastly to my father,
Ramon Sr., who throughout my life has been and will always be my mentor, my guide,
and my conscience. Your experiences and wisdom have been inscribed in my heart and
have contributed to the woman I have become. Sus experiencias y sabiduría han sido
inscritas en mi corazón y han contribuido en hacerme la mujer que soy. ¡Lo amo mucho
padre!

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Foremost, I would like to express my sincere and deepest gratitude to my
committee chair, Dr. Lindsey Meân, who without her mentorship and support this project
of inner-self discovery would not have been possible. Thank you for always believing in
me and for giving me the opportunity to learn the most important identity lesson of all-
that it is okay to pull away, have fun, and be yourself.
To Dr. Vincent Waldron and Professor Cynthia Gaffney, who are not only my
committee members for this project, but have been two key individuals that have in some
way contributed through their teachings to the transformation of this individual who
once sat in class not saying a word and wondering if and how she should let her inner self
shine. Thank you for allowing yourselves to be a part of my turning points in this
journey. I will be eternally grateful.
In addition, I would like to thank Professor Bonnie Wentzel for taking the first
step and opening the door to my new beginning as I joined the Communication
Assessment Learning Lab (CALL) team. Thanks for being my cheerleader, my mentor,
and for showing me the importance of leading with your heart and not just with your
mind.
My greatest appreciation and friendship goes out to my co-graduate student
directors in the Communication Assessment Learning Lab (CALL), Saint Ranson and
Ana Terminel-Iberri, who were always there providing support during the difficult and
stressful times of this project. Anita what would I have done without you? Thanks for
listening always. Saint, thanks for providing me with hugs, especially when I felt tired
and lost.
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Lastly, I would like to give a big thank you to all the professors, students, and
organizations that I have encountered throughout the years that have blessed me with
their stories and have assisted in the construction of this new individual-Catalina
Cayetano. Thank you!

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page
LIST OF TABLES……………….……………………………………………….........viii
LIST OF FIGURES…………………………………………………………………….ix
CHAPTER
1. INTRODUCTION…………………………………………….……………..1
2. LITERATURE REVIEW………….………………………………...……....17
Acculturation: The Values of the Mexican Origin Family………...…...18
Bilingualism and the Mexican Origin Family…..…………………….. 23
Parentification…………...………………………………….................34
3. METHODOLOGY……………………...……………………………………43
The Role and Impact of the Researcher…….…………………………. 43
Ethical and Identification Considerations…………...……………….... 44
Participants…………………………………………………………….. 45
Materials and Interviews………………………..……………...…........ 48
Data Analysis ………………..………………………………………… 50
4. RESULTS………………………...……………………………………....... .53
Theme 1Circumstantial Bilingual…………… ………..…….....…........57
Theme 2 Adaptive Parentification….…………….…………….…….... 72
Theme 3 Identity Negotiation..…..………………..….……….……….. 81
5. DISCUSSION…..………………………………………………………….... 87
Discussion of Results……..………………………………………......... 87
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Page
Limitations of the Present Study……………..……………….….…...102
Conclusion and Implications for Future Research...….…….………...105
REFERENCES……………………………………………………...…………….......107
APPENDIX
A GLOSSARY…………………………………...……………..………………...114
B INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD APPROVAL FORM ……..……….... 117
C INTERVIEW GUIDE……………………..………………..………..…….......131
D PARENTAL CONSENT FORM …………………………........……….…….133
E ASSENT FORM FOR A CHILD ……...………………….………..………....136
F RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NORMALCY AND THE
CIRCUMSTANTIALBILINGUAL………………………………..…………...138
G INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTIONS………………………………………...….140

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LIST OF TABLES
Table Page
1. U. S. Populations by Ethnicity and Mexican Origin, 2011…………………………..8

2. U. S. Populations by Ethnicity and Mexican Origin Earnings and Poverty, 2011….12

3. Participant Demographics…………………………………………………………...47

4. Language Brokering Experiences…………………………………………………...55

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