Determines that the sense of family obligation instilled in many immigrant children provides a sense of security as they adjust to American society and propels them to academic achievement and lifelong success. To provide their children with economic and educational opportunities are among the top reasons that families immigrate to the United States. Parents transfer this desire to their children through a very strong sense of obligation to provide assistance, support, and respect to their parents, siblings, and extended family. Data collection occurred in several cities via questionnaires, interviews, and daily activity checklists of immigrant children from Latin America and Asia. Results indicate a very strong sense of familial obligation stretching into the third generation in Filipino, Chinese, and Latin American immigrants. Children of European immigrants had a lower sense of family obligation than the other nationalities studied. Other data suggests that academic achievement is directly linked to the family obligation. Higher education rates in immigrant children is dependent on the economic condition of the family; further education may be postponed in order to provide direct financial support to the family, and data suggests that balancing work and school makes completion of postsecondary education difficult.
