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Family formation patterns among migrant women in Sydney

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 July 2008

Farhat Yusuf  and
Stefania Siedlecky
Farhat Yusuf
Affiliation:
Demographic Research Group, School of Economic and Financial Studies, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
Stefania Siedlecky
Affiliation:
Demographic Research Group, School of Economic and Financial Studies, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
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Summary

A demographic survey among a probability sample of 980 married migrant women was carried out in Sydney in 1988. The sample included 507 Lebanese, 250 Turkish and 223 Vietnamese women. The study revealed differences in family formation patterns within and between the three groups and between them and the general population. Family size had declined among all three groups compared with their family of origin, and it was clear that the younger women would not achieve the same family sizes as the older women. Migrant women tended to marry earlier than the general population and to start their families earlier. While they showed a strong preference for their children to marry within their own ethnic and religious group, nearly one-third said it was up to the choice of the individual. Overall, the future family size of younger migrant women is expected to converge towards the Australian norm. Migrant families are in a state of transition between two cultures which needs to be recognised by health and family planning service providers.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Biosocial Science , Volume 28 , Issue 1 , January 1996 , pp. 89 - 99
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1996

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