| In this dissertation study, I examined the psychological antecedents and consequences of endorsing the Asian American model minority belief system (e.g., Asian Americans are the most successful group in the US) as well as Asian American mothers' idealized beliefs about motherhood (e.g., Asian American mothers have the capacity to make more sacrifices for their family than Asian American fathers) and career (e.g., Asian American women work more hard at their jobs than American women) in a sample of first generation Asian Indian immigrant women who are mothers and are employed in the United States.;I conducted a community survey (N = 289) of first generation Asian Indian women (ages 18 to 55) who are mothers of at least one child less than 16, are employed for over 25 hours per week and who are first generation immigrants to the United States. I found that higher levels of social marginality predicted greater endorsement of Asian American model minority beliefs (b = .17, p < .02) and idealized motherhood beliefs (b = .32, p < .001). Perceived discrimination predicted idealized career beliefs (b = .21, p < .005). Additionally, subjective socio economic status predicted greater endorsement of model minority beliefs (b = -.16, p < .02) and idealized motherhood beliefs (b = -.15, p < .03). Idealized motherhood beliefs predicted motherhood self agency (b = .15, p < .04) and increased perception of career as a burden (b = -.14, p < .03).;I also conducted seven semi structured interviews with first generation Asian Indian immigrant women to examine how they constructed their motherhood with reference to their career. I found that the women held idealized beliefs that valorized motherhood which shaped their motherhood practices. Even as they idealized their own roles in motherhood, the women participated in co-constructing essentialized beliefs about motherhood (e.g., mothers are more competent than fathers). Such discursive constructions seemed to contribute to motherhood self agency and revealed the dynamism, fluidity and heterogeneity in the construction of Asian Indian women's motherhood within the intersections of race and gender. Overall, the findings contribute to the growing body of research on foreign born women workers who are employed and pursuing careers, in the United States. |
