East Indian Families Raising ABCD Adolescents: Cultural and Generational Challenges

Abstract

Immigration is a process fraught with both challenges and opportunities for families. In particular, East Indian families with U.S.-born adolescents experience the challenges of bridging cultures across generational divides; they are perceived by others as confused, identity less, and conflicted or as American-Born, Confused Desis (ABCDs). This article explores the history of East Indian immigration to the United States, the cultural values and belief systems of these parents and adolescents, and some clinical and research implications for developing a richer and more complex understanding of this group.