Building bridges: A mixed methods study of parent-facilitated peer networks and social behaviors among Chinese and Korean American immigrant children.

This mixed methods study is the first to investigate how nonschool peer networks are structured and facilitated in Asian American immigrant families. Using data from 212 Chinese American and 169 Korean American mothers of preschool-aged children, quantitative analyses revealed patterns in peer network characteristics across groups. Chinese families facilitated peer connections through extracurricular activities and neighborhood-based contacts more often than Korean families, whereas Korean families relied on church- and kin-based networks more frequently than Chinese families. Longitudinal multigroup regression analyses further showed that specific parent-facilitated peer network features, such as peer age composition and children's roles as hosts, predicted children's sociability in school 6 months later. Thematic analysis of open-ended responses identified six themes reflecting mothers' motivations and barriers in facilitating early peer contacts. Mothers in both groups emphasized the importance of peer interactions for children's social skill development and family closeness; while Chinese mothers highlighted children's happiness and enjoyment more often than Korean mothers, Korean mothers emphasized moral development and appropriate social conduct more frequently than Chinese mothers. By integrating longitudinal quantitative analyses with qualitative insights and comparing two major Asian American subgroups, this study extended developmental theories of socialization into nonschool peer contexts and underscored the importance of culturally responsive family- and community-based efforts to support immigrant children's social development. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).