The studies presented in this dissertation examine the academic, psychological, and behavioral adjustment of Chinese parachute kids, under-aged foreign students who live in the United States without ...their parents. Study 1 compares the adjustment of these youth to other Chinese immigrant youth who live with their parents and American-born Chinese adolescents. Despite the stress and challenges associated with the parachute experience, Chinese parachute kids are not more academically or psychologically maladjusted than Chinese immigrant adolescents who live with their parents. They are however, more behaviorally maladjusted in terms of substance use, sexual activity, and group/gang fighting. On the other hand, Chinese parachute kids are not more behaviorally maladjusted than American-born Chinese adolescents in terms of sexual activity or group/gang fighting. Thus, Chinese parachute kids seem to be equipped with some sort of cultural capital that protects them from maladjustment. Study 2 examines the relationship between positive and negative social exchanges and Chinese parachute youth adjustment. It also examines the different role each member of the social network has on parachute youth adjustment. Contrary to the hypothesis, supportive relationships are not necessarily related to well-being and conflictual relationships are not necessarily related to distress. However, each member of the social network does influence parachute kid adjustment differently.
