Family dynamics in mothers and adolescent children of a rural community transnational.Comparison between households with and without a migrant father

Abstract

Background: Migration implies the displacement of people from one place to another, bringing as a consequence frequent experiences of family separation, which violates its members since the distance hinders the instrumental and affective support that may exist between the members. The long and intense interaction between the communities of origin and those of destination associated with migration has turned multiple locations in Mexico into transnational spaces. Objective: Analyze the perception that mothers and their adolescent sons/daughters have about family dynamics when the father is absent. Method: Two groups were compared: families with and without migration experience in a transnational rural community in Michoacán, Mexico. A quantitative method was used, working with a sample of 96 participants (48 mother-child adolescent pairing). The Intrafamily Relationship Assessment Scale, the Parental Practices Scale, and the Marital Satisfaction Scale were applied. Results: It was found that mothers and their adolescent sons/daughters perceive less union and support in the family when the father is a migrant. The group with the father at home had higher scores in family expression, from both perspective, of the mothers and from that of their adolescent children. Finally, it was observed that the marital satisfaction of mothers influences parenting practices. Conclusion: These results may be a risk or protective factors for the physical and mental health of the different members of the family, and it should be considered in future public policies for this population.