Intercultural Parenting and the Transcultural Family: A Literature Review

According to U.S. Census Bureau data (2003), intercultural relationships are on the rise, and much has been written on cultural differences in marriage. Furthermore, a significant amount of literature has discussed differences in parenting based on racial, ethnic, and religious value differences between culturally different families. However, much less has been written on how parenting amplifies differences because of cultural diversity within a family. The purpose of this article is a review of the literature specifically on intercultural parenting. Differences that arise in intercultural relationships are briefly reviewed, followed by how those differences can be managed. Finally, a review of the literature specific to intercultural differences in parenting style and the development of a transcultural family is discussed.