Antoinette Butler Wilks

Supervisors:Prof Trang Thomas Dr Sophie Xenos

RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia

Women & Psychology 17th Annual Conference1-3 December 2006, VU, Sunbury Victoria Australia

Brides and caregiving: Cultural, social and psychological resources of older Filipinos in Australia

RMIT University 2

Presentation

• Introduction• Theoretical Framework• Research Method• Results• Summary and ImplicationsNOTE: (Most figures/graphs/photos were removed

for website copy of presentation.)

RMIT University 3

Introduction: Definitions Bride = refers to a woman born overseas who migrated to

Australia as a result of mixed marriage

Mixed marriage = refers to marriages between people from different birthplace groups

Intermarriage = refers to marriage outside own ethnic background

Intramarriage = refers to marriage within the same ethnic background

Caregiver = refers to a primary carer of a sick or elderly husband/spouse/parent or child/grandchildren in the family

Urban = comprises capital city; Non-urban refers to the remainder

RMIT University 4

CALD communities and ageing

Table 1: Birthplaces of persons aged 65 and over from CALD backgrounds ranked in order of size, Australia 1996-2026 (Gibson, et. al., 2001, p82) Birthplace 1996

2001

2006

2011

2016

2021

2026

Italy 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Poland 2 5 6 11 13 14 16 Germany 3 3 3 3 3 3 5 Greece 4 2 2 2 2 2 2 Netherlands 5 4 4 4 4 4 7 China 6 6 5 5 5 6 4 India 7 7 10 9 8 9 8 Vietnam 13 11 11 10 6 5 3 Philippines 21 20 19 15 11 7 6 Lebanon 17 14 14 12 12 10 9 Malaysia 25 24 20 18 14 12 10

RMIT University 5

Mixed marriages & Overseas-born brides

Slide 9 Mixed marriages in Australia

Literature indicate that disparity has been influenced by mixed marriage between overseas born marrying Australian men. Initially- UK, Ireland & NZ. Recently- Italy, Vietnam, China, Phils.

Slide 10 Overseas-born brides

This slide highlights the big proportion of Philippines-born brides marrying long-time Australians compared to other recent overseas-born brides. Nearly 32% of Filipino brides marry long-term Australians in contrast to only 9% groom born in the Philippines married long-term Australians.

RMIT University 6

Filipinos and caregiving challenges

Ageing CALD communities Filipinos - 6th largest ethnic group by 2026 Labour shortage and Family Reunion Programs Scholars and Skilled Trade Migration in 1960s-1980s Intermarriages/Intramarriages and grandmothers

1980s-1990s Gender ratio and Geographical dispersion

Paucity of empirical research Psychological well-being, long term-care needs Caregivers personal resources and well-being

RMIT University 7

Aims of the project:

Investigate the relationship between: migration circumstances acculturation experiences coping strategies general and mental health use of health services services by Filipino migrants who migrated to Australia under different circumstances (young brides/spouses, grandmothers, and skilled male

migrants).

Develop a model for positive ageing for this dominantly female community who live in both rural and urban areas.

RMIT University 8

Theoretical Framework: Resource-Congruence Model of Adaptation

Proactive Reactive Relaxation

Develop → Assess → Utilize →Conserve resources

Stress: an interactive, dynamic process that takes place in a cultural context.

Potential stressors for Asian elderly: cultural & language barriers, identity, social roles, discrimination.

RMIT University 9

MethodsParticipants: Philippines-born migrants (40+)

Brides/intermarried (1964-2005) Intramarried women Grandmothers Men

Procedure: Stage 1 Qualitative Interview (N=170)

Semi-structured Interview and Thematic Analysis Stage 2 Survey (N=300) in progress

Demographics, Ageing, Caregiving Acculturation scale Depression, Anxiety, Stress Coping Social Support AppraisalSPSS – ANOVA, MANOVA, GLM, Regression, SEM

Stage 3 Qualitative Interview

RMIT University 10

Results: Preliminary findings

Australian Filipinos Brides Spouse Age 35.6 Aus-

35.9 Asian- 38.2 yrs (22.2 Phils)

52 yrs (40-88)

63 yrs (36-94)

Age difference 45% 2yrs 10% 10+ yrs

51% 10+yrs

Sex ratio 98.6M : 100F 52.6M : 100F 86%F (N=216) Urban Non-Urban

75% 25%

80 % 20%

34% 66% (82% born Non-Urban)

Qualifications Higher quals

46.2% 58.5% 38%

70% 64%

51% 31%

Primary carer 20% 38%

Caree 40% Partner 25% Children 21% Parent

60% Partner 23% Child/etc 6% Parent/S/G

60%Illness 20%Help fam 13%Gratitude

RMIT University 11

Results: (Graphs removed for website version.)

A one-sample T-test was conducted to compare sample means against population means in the Depression, Anxiety and Stress scales. The output indicates that there are significant differences in all three scales. The sample means in the three scales are significantly lower than the normative value for women.

RMIT University 12

Summary: Brides and caregiving

“Caring for husband makes me busy to find the right food – organic which makes it more expensive.”

“Satisfaction to care for a loved one. My love does not falter because he is sick. I give spiritual support.”

“…go around shops, budget well…”

“Pray, talk to friends, join clubs, Filipino and church organizations that help me. I do volunteer work.”

RMIT University 13

Summary: Resources

Psychological Resources: • Traditional Filipino values and beliefs: filial love, respect

and duty, in debt gratitude, religiosity, family centredness,

• Positive attitude, continuous adjustment of values and expectations

• Language, education, health status

Social Resources: • Family, friends, Filipino assoc & services, Church • Health and social support services

RMIT University 14

Summary: Variables contributing to positive well being

1. Religion2. Humour3. Acceptance4. Level of interest to migrate5. Migration expectation met6. Social network7. Living arrangements

RMIT University 15

Implications

Challenges in cross-cultural research• access to ethnic women in intermarriage• ethnic women in rural and remote • aged migrants from CALD backgrounds

Evidence based data • Impact of caregiving in comparison with stressors in

non-caregivers • Research design on caregiving studies by: recruiting sample from non-caregiver programs using standardized measures on stress and coping

RMIT University 16

Filipino brides …

Wife killer's payout refused

August 04, 2006 03:00am, Article from: The Daily Telegraph

THE man dubbed Sydney's "most evil husband" yesterday lost a $750,000 legal claim over his treatment by police after the murder of his second wife. Thomas Andrew Keir was convicted at three trials of killing his first wife Jean Keir but was acquitted of the 1991 murder of his second wife, Rosalina Canonisado.

RMIT University 17

Global Migration of brides …

Anastasia King, in this undated photo at the UW, was found strangled and dumped in a shallow grave Dec. 28 near Marysville. She was only 20 years old. / Family Photo