Examines the performance of household tasks among ethnic Vietnamese, Chinese-Vietnamese, and urban Laotians living in Canada in order to document family practices and to identify changes from traditional roles. Two sets of data were collected, one to assess traditional performance of household tasks (65 completed questionnaires) and the other to understand present-day performance (a larger sampling of personal interviews). Comparison of traditional and present-day patterns revealed that among Laotians and to a lesser extent ethnic Vietnamese, a number of tasks were still being performed by the person – whether the husband or the wife – who would have done so traditionally. Chinese-Vietnamese have been exposed to years of war, just like Vietnamese and Laotians, but also experienced the trauma of migration to Vietnam; as a refugee group, they expressed the least consensus about traditional roles. Nevertheless, all 3 groups showed movement toward more sharing of household activities, even if women were employed outside of the home. Further research is needed to determine sharing by other family members, not just husbands. However, the findings of the studies provide a baseline from which researchers can assess the experiences of the second generation. (Description from source)
