Migration stories of 1.5 generation Asian/Asian American immigrant young adults: adaptation, family perspectives, and evolving identities in California, the United States
1
Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Public Health, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, United States
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A2658
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
California, one of the most ethno-racially diverse states in the United States, is home to 10.5 million foreign-born populations.1,2 1.5 generation refers to an individual who migrated to the new country with their parents when they were young.”3 However, little is known about how to clearly define the 1.5 generation and how Asian American 1.5 generation young adults as a minority group have adapted to the dominant society in the United States.
METHODS:
A purposive sampling was used. Participants were people who came to the United States from Asia with their parents when their ages were 5-17 years old and are currently 18-29. 17 participants joined a one-on-one, in-depth interview for a qualitative study (average: 107 minutes). All interviews were audio recorded and verbatim transcribed. Dedoose was used to conduct deductive and inductive reasoning and analyze qualitative findings.
RESULTS:
Four common themes were extracted. First, economic and educational inequities, as well as political instability, were the main motivators for families to migrate to the United States as an investment in their children’s future, despite occupational sacrifice and financial difficulty. Second, family reunification and sponsorship facilitated settlement and reinforced intergenerational expectations. Third, age at migration influenced the level of adaptation; childhood arrivals adjusted easily with limited memories of departure, whereas adolescent arrivals experienced identity confusion, emotional strain, and disrupted friendships. Lastly, evolving family sentiments showed intergenerational conflict; when parents maintained strong linguistic and cultural connections to home countries, participants described their mixed feelings about weakening connections to their countries of origin and ambivalence about living as an immigrant.
CONCLUSIONS:
Findings show how migration as both an opportunity and a challenge relates to various factors to shape belonging in the United States. Future research can focus on longitudinal approaches to understand the life history of Asian American 1.5 generation immigrant populations.
California, one of the most ethno-racially diverse states in the United States, is home to 10.5 million foreign-born populations.1,2 1.5 generation refers to an individual who migrated to the new country with their parents when they were young.”3 However, little is known about how to clearly define the 1.5 generation and how Asian American 1.5 generation young adults as a minority group have adapted to the dominant society in the United States.
METHODS:
A purposive sampling was used. Participants were people who came to the United States from Asia with their parents when their ages were 5-17 years old and are currently 18-29. 17 participants joined a one-on-one, in-depth interview for a qualitative study (average: 107 minutes). All interviews were audio recorded and verbatim transcribed. Dedoose was used to conduct deductive and inductive reasoning and analyze qualitative findings.
RESULTS:
Four common themes were extracted. First, economic and educational inequities, as well as political instability, were the main motivators for families to migrate to the United States as an investment in their children’s future, despite occupational sacrifice and financial difficulty. Second, family reunification and sponsorship facilitated settlement and reinforced intergenerational expectations. Third, age at migration influenced the level of adaptation; childhood arrivals adjusted easily with limited memories of departure, whereas adolescent arrivals experienced identity confusion, emotional strain, and disrupted friendships. Lastly, evolving family sentiments showed intergenerational conflict; when parents maintained strong linguistic and cultural connections to home countries, participants described their mixed feelings about weakening connections to their countries of origin and ambivalence about living as an immigrant.
CONCLUSIONS:
Findings show how migration as both an opportunity and a challenge relates to various factors to shape belonging in the United States. Future research can focus on longitudinal approaches to understand the life history of Asian American 1.5 generation immigrant populations.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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