This is a less frequent occurrence in Arab families, though it does happen, but less among women than men. For the most part, Arab immigrants represent a well educated group, and this, too, contributes to their lack of total assimilation (p. 150).
Another element that has not facilitated the Arab assimilation into American society is that many Arabs continue to use their language from their country of origin as the primary basis for communicating with one another (p. 150). This prolongs the process of assimilation, because the family unit is restricted by their inability to communicate beyond the family, or with others in their immigrant community who speak their language.
Finally, the Arab family culturally and traditionally has been a family that involved blending the extended family with the immediate family in supportive ways (p. 150). Once in America, many Arab immigrants find the break in the family structure which occurs when extended families do not migrate to be detrimental to the family's functioning as a family unit (p. 150). For this reason, Arab migration is not always successful, and a large number of families return...
150). However, as with the Arab population in France and other European nations, America is beginning to see first and second generation Arab-Americans born in the United States, and there do appear to be steps toward a fuller level of assimilation. Today, there are more than three million Arab-Americans in the United States, and that number is expected to continue to increase (p. 150).
It is expected that over time, with increased generations of Arab immigrants born to the United States, that full assimilation will be successful.
References
http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=55201015
Naff, a. (1993). Becoming American: The Early Arab Immigrant Experience. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press. Retrieved August 2, 2008, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=55201015
Nassar-Mcmillan, S.C., & Hakim-Larson, J. (2003). Counseling Considerations among Arab-Americans. Journal of Counseling and Development, 81(2), 150+. Retrieved August 2, 2008, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5001936022
