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This version of NSU News has been archived as of February 28, 2019. To search through archived articles, visit nova.edu/search. To access the new version of NSU News, visit news.nova.edu.
This version of SharkBytes has been archived as of February 28, 2019. To search through archived articles, visit nova.edu/search. To access the new version of SharkBytes, visit sharkbytes.nova.edu.
NSU Research Spotlight: American and Chinese Relation Conflict
Christine Ajayi, Ph.D.
Christine Ajayi, Ph.D., assistant professor of Family Therapy at SHSS, is conducting a study to compare the experiences of American and Chinese college students’ perceptions and experiences of relational conflict in light of their perceptions of their parents’ relationships. Previous research has made links to subsequent relationship conflict and family of origin relationship dynamics. This study is in collaboration with Linyuan Deng at the Beijing Normal University to examine the effect of the transgenerational process on later romantic conflict. An innovation of the current study is its cross-cultural comparative dimension.
Investigators have made connections to intergenerational relational processes on the experiences of young adults, but this is the first study to explicitly assess the experiences of both American and Chinese emerging adults, with support from NSU’s President’s Faculty Research & Development Grant and participation of student researchers. This is important, as both China and America are currently responding to critical clinical needs for emerging adults who are experiencing challenges in their romantic relationships. Although there are empirically-supported prevention and intervention models, it is critical that prevalence and experiences are understood contextually, as to apply the best methods of intervention for these emerging adults. The investigators will disseminate the results both in America and China.