Language Brokering and Parental Praise and Criticism Among Young Adults from Immigrant Families

Undergraduate college students (N = 139; Mage = 20.92, SD = 2.43; 74 % female) from Asian (n = 76), Latino (n = 27) and non-Hispanic White (n = 36) backgrounds participated in an online survey about frequency of language brokering and parent–child relationship characteristics. We found that higher frequency of language brokering for mother was associated with lower levels of regard for and perceived support from mother. However, this negative relationship was explained by maternal praise. Additionally, we found that higher frequency of language brokering for father was associated with lower levels of perceived support from father and this relationship was also mediated by paternal praise. These results further suggest that parenting contexts can shape the parent–child outcomes associated with language brokering.