By: Dominic Alaazi, PhD (candidate)
Research Coordinator, Health and Immigration Policies and Practices (HIPP) Research Program
Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta
A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, has uncovered structural challenges to parenting and child mental health promotion among African immigrants in Alberta. The study was conducted as part of a research program that aims to improve the mental health and general wellbeing of African immigrant children and youth in the province. From August 2016 to August 2017, the researchers, led by Dr. Bukola Salami of the Faculty of Nursing, conducted in-depth qualitative interviews with 32 African immigrant parents, 14 community leaders, 10 health and immigrant settlement workers, and 2 policymakers. The researchers found several structural challenges that affect the ability of African immigrant families to parent and support the mental wellness of their children. Low levels of education (especially of refugees), racial discrimination in the job market, limited employable skills, and inadequate English language skills have worked against the employment prospects of African immigrants in the province. Consequently, most have found themselves at the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder, juggling multiple low wage jobs, living in poverty, and spending more time away from family, all of which produce adverse impact on children’s material, emotional, and mental wellbeing.
The researchers also found widespread reports of cultural clash between African immigrant families and Canadian value systems, with children often caught up between these two worlds. Of particular significance to children’s wellbeing is the difficulty of reconciling Western values (including autonomy and personal liberty) with parental expectation of cultural conformity. As a result, some African immigrant children are reportedly conflicted, as they attempt to blend Canadian and African value systems. The child disciplinary practices of Canadians and African immigrants also differ markedly. While Canadian parenting tends to rely largely on persuasive discipline (for example, timeouts and withdrawal of privileges), the majority of African immigrant parents consider such disciplinary measures to be inadequate. Accordingly, they lamented an inability to discipline their children in a manner that is effective and culturally appropriate, which includes discretionary use of physical punishment (for example, spanking), a practice that is almost outlawed in Canada. African immigrant parents and community leaders in the study attribute the disproportionate representation of African immigrant youth in gang communities across Canada to a legal system that prohibits African-based child disciplinary practices.
African immigrant families also experience poor access to essential services, including daycare, healthcare, and sports programs. The factors hindering their access to services vary considerably, but typically include low-income status that limits their ability to pay for services, language barriers that affects communication with service providers, limited awareness of service availability, and discriminatory practices and cultural insensitivity of service providers. Despite the many structural challenges confronting the community, African immigrant families have continued to demonstrate remarkable resiliency and internal strengths. Notably, cultural values of respect, integrity, education, and connection to family, community, and homeland have remained the bedrock of African immigrant families in the province. In their report to stakeholders, the researchers therefore called for policies and programs that attend to the culture, poor socioeconomic status, and service needs of African immigrant families.
As a follow up to their study, the researchers shared their findings at a stakeholder engagement forum in August 2017, which was attended by over 150 African immigrant parents, African community leaders, service providers, policymakers, and other stakeholders. A knowledge translation committee has also been set up to help address some of the parenting challenges identified in the study report. The immediate task of the committee is to create a mentorship program and a comprehensive list of community resources to support African immigrant parents. Series of conversation cafes, co-led by an African immigrant and a healthcare professional, have also been planned, and will examine opportunities for integrating African traditional and Western biomedical knowledge systems towards improving the mental health of African immigrant children in the province.
