En etapas : parenting practices and resiliency of mothers migrating with children from Central America’s Northern Triangle

In this project, I explored the ways asylum-seeking mothers from Central America’s Northern Triangle who migrated with children to the U.S. navigated their parental role during the migration process. Specifically, I considered the resilience and coping strategies mothers employed during difficult experiences, transitions, and parenting dilemmas. Employing a qualitative research design and hybrid grounded theory/template approach, I interviewed 10 asylum-seeking mothers in Austin. Upon analyzing my data, I discovered a variety of themes and grouped them into three core categories: 1) experiencing hardship and loss in the context of precarious migration and/or past traumas, 2) building resilience and strength, and 3) navigating parental responsibilities and dilemmas. From my findings, I developed working model of building resilience and strength (RS) that is comprised of eight conceptual codes: 1) faith, church and religion, 2) resettlement assistance and/or community programs, 3) determination and agency, 4) family and community closeness, 5) children as meaning and purpose, 6) opportunities for children, 7) appreciation for safety and access to resources and services, 8) hope for a better life and future; rebuild and survive. My data also shows how context affects parenting decisions. Mothers discussed issues related to socialization, communication, family separation, and transnational parenting. Based on my findings, I posit that the RS working model helps build resilience frameworks that are theoretically and practically useful with vulnerable populations, and I make specific recommendations toward social work practice concerning parenting