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Objective: This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of cultural silence and emotional suppression within Asian-American families. Methods: This qualitative study utilized a phenomenological approach to investigate emotional suppression among 24 Asian-American adults residing in the United States. Participants were selected through purposive sampling to ensure diversity across ethnic subgroups and generational backgrounds. Data were collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews conducted via secure video conferencing platforms. Interviews lasted between 60 and 90 minutes and continued until theoretical saturation was reached. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed thematically using NVivo software. Thematic analysis was performed through an inductive coding process that emphasized participants’ subjective interpretations and cultural meaning-making around emotional expression. Findings: Four major themes emerged from the data: family communication norms, cultural identity and emotional suppression, impacts on mental and emotional health, and pathways to emotional expression and healing. Participants reported indirect communication, emotional stoicism, and intergenerational silence as common patterns within their families. These dynamics were often reinforced by cultural expectations of respect, shame, and self-control. Emotional suppression was linked to internalized distress, difficulty in emotional identification, and barriers to help-seeking. Despite these challenges, participants also described transformative experiences involving therapy, peer support, and bicultural integration that facilitated emotional literacy and relational healing. Conclusion: Emotional suppression and cultural silence in Asian-American families are shaped by deep-rooted cultural values and intergenerational practices. While these patterns may hinder emotional well-being, participants also demonstrated adaptive strategies and agency in redefining emotional norms. These findings underscore the importance of culturally responsive mental health practices that validate heritage while promoting emotional authenticity.

Objective: This study aims to examine the effectiveness of reflective parenting training on emotion regulation and the parent-child relationship in mothers with children under 6 years of age. Method: This is a quantitative study with a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design involving an experimental group and a control group. The statistical population includes all mothers with children under 6 years old in Isfahan. For sampling, a purposive sampling method was used by visiting kindergartens in Isfahan, and 30 participants were selected based on the cut-off point of the questionnaires and inclusion and exclusion criteria. They were randomly assigned to two groups: an experimental group (15 people) and a control group (15 people). Subsequently, reflective parenting training sessions based on the Bateman and Fonagy (2001) protocol were conducted for the experimental group, while the control group received no intervention. The research instruments included the Parent-Child Relationship Scale (Pianta, 1992) and the Emotion Regulation Inventory (Shield & Cicchetti, 1995). The collected data were analyzed using appropriate statistical tests (repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc test) and SPSS software. Findings: Given that the calculated F-value for between-group effects (group membership effect), within-group effects (time effect), and the interactive effect of group and time was significant at the 99% confidence level (P < 0.01), these results indicate a significant difference between the two groups. Furthermore, it suggests that this significant difference exists at least at one time point during the intervention among the research groups. The Bonferroni post hoc test results showed differences in adaptive emotion regulation, instability/negativity, and the parent-child relationship scores during the research stages between the experimental groups (P < 0.01). In other words, the reflective parenting intervention had a significant impact on improving the research variables. Conclusions: Therefore, it can be concluded that this intervention was effective on the research variables and confirms that this approach can be used as an effective strategy in improving parental abilities and reducing psychological challenges in mothers during the parenting period.