Recent refugees arriving in the United States have escaped political and social oppression in countries such as Bosnia, Sierra Leone, Iraqi Kurdistan, Laos, Somalia, Sudan, Rwanda, and Liberia. Drastic changes occur in the lives of individuals who flee their homes to a new country. One major life change is food consumption patterns (e.g., foodways). The consequences of migration and acquiring new food patterns become apparent when, unlike their first-generation counterparts, second-generation immigrants develop more chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity. Family food traditions and patterns of communication form a recursive relationship. Food patterns, such as foods consumed and mealtime rituals within families, can illuminate family interaction. This study examines the communication between New American/refugee parents and adolescents about food.
Data saturation was reached after conducting multiple interviews with four former refugee families. A total of 24 interviews with both adolescents and their parents took place over a 4-month period of time. The nature of communication about food, the foods consumed in the participants' countries-of-origin, the foods consumed in the United States, and acculturation levels of family members were examined as a part of the interviews. Interviews were thematically analyzed and compared to two theories: social cognitive theory and dialectical tension theory.
Study participants' diets changed from their country-of-origin to the United States. Incorporating American foods and substituting traditional foods with easier-to-find ingredients were common. Parents preferred traditional foods and generally consumed traditional foods. Adolescents preferred American foods; however, they generally consumed traditional foods at home. Social cognitive theory is used to explain how adolescents and parents are influenced by their environments, but exert reciprocal influence on each other related to the introduction of American foods or the maintenance of traditional foods. Dialectical tension theory is used to explain how families manage food change through communication. Praxical improvisations, such as reframing, explain how New American/refugee families eventually accept the role American culture plays in their lives. Finally, the two theories are unified to explore how certain dialectical tensions actually serve as personal determinants that interact with the social environment and potentially predict change.
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