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Background <p>Immigrant adolescents frequently engage in language brokering, in which adolescents serve as linguistic and cultural mediators for their families, to support parents with limited English proficiency, yet little is known about how this process shapes parent–child relationships within Korean immigrant families. Existing research has largely focused on Latino families, leaving a gap in understanding culturally specific dynamics among Asian immigrant groups.</p> Objective <p>This study explored (1) what role language brokering plays in parent–child relationships in Korean immigrant families, (2) which child and family characteristics shape brokering experiences, and (3) similarities and differences across families.</p> Methods <p>Using a qualitative design, six Korean immigrant parent–adolescent dyads participated in semi-structured, individual interviews. Purposeful and snowball sampling identified families with adolescents aged 12–17 who regularly engaged in language brokering. Interviews were conducted in Korean, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s six-step thematic analysis. Researcher reflexivity and peer debriefing enhanced trustworthiness.</p> Results <p>Two overarching themes were constructed. First, language brokering helped foster closeness and communication in many dyads, while also generating stress and conflict in others. Adolescents with stronger relationships described experiencing less stress and more effective brokering. Second, brokering patterns reflected cultural and familial characteristics: first-born adolescents, particularly daughters, served as primary brokers; first-generation adolescents accepted the role more readily than second-generation peers; and parents’ English proficiency shaped adolescents’ sense of burden.</p> Conclusions <p>Language brokering is a culturally embedded, relational process in Korean immigrant families. Its role in parent-child relationships depends on cultural expectations, birth order, and parental language skills. Findings underscore the need for family-based and culturally informed support for adolescent language brokers.</p>

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A Qualitative Exploration of Language Brokering and Parent-Child Relationships in Korean Immigrant Families

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年6月30日

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  • Eunkyung Lee,
  • Wendy Middlemiss,
  • Amy J. Anderson

摘要

Background

Immigrant adolescents frequently engage in language brokering, in which adolescents serve as linguistic and cultural mediators for their families, to support parents with limited English proficiency, yet little is known about how this process shapes parent–child relationships within Korean immigrant families. Existing research has largely focused on Latino families, leaving a gap in understanding culturally specific dynamics among Asian immigrant groups.

Objective

This study explored (1) what role language brokering plays in parent–child relationships in Korean immigrant families, (2) which child and family characteristics shape brokering experiences, and (3) similarities and differences across families.

Methods

Using a qualitative design, six Korean immigrant parent–adolescent dyads participated in semi-structured, individual interviews. Purposeful and snowball sampling identified families with adolescents aged 12–17 who regularly engaged in language brokering. Interviews were conducted in Korean, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s six-step thematic analysis. Researcher reflexivity and peer debriefing enhanced trustworthiness.

Results

Two overarching themes were constructed. First, language brokering helped foster closeness and communication in many dyads, while also generating stress and conflict in others. Adolescents with stronger relationships described experiencing less stress and more effective brokering. Second, brokering patterns reflected cultural and familial characteristics: first-born adolescents, particularly daughters, served as primary brokers; first-generation adolescents accepted the role more readily than second-generation peers; and parents’ English proficiency shaped adolescents’ sense of burden.

Conclusions

Language brokering is a culturally embedded, relational process in Korean immigrant families. Its role in parent-child relationships depends on cultural expectations, birth order, and parental language skills. Findings underscore the need for family-based and culturally informed support for adolescent language brokers.