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via Zoom

In many Asian societies, including Vietnam, motherhood is shaped not only by love and cultural devotion but also by invisible expectations and intergenerational obligations. Behind the idealized image of the “good mother” lies a quiet crisis of care, where women’s emotional needs, rest, and autonomy are often overlooked.

This GRITalks session features Dr. Nguyen HTT from Kobe University, whose research examines maternal well-being among Vietnamese mothers in both Vietnam and Japan. Through a mixed-methods approach integrating psychological measures with in-depth qualitative interviews, Dr. Nguyen’s study highlights how family structure, caregiving division, and educational background shape mothers’ well-being experiences across cultural contexts.

Her findings reveal a nuanced picture: while strong family ties can offer practical and emotional support, they may also reinforce gendered expectations and mental load. Among Vietnamese mothers in Japan, the absence of such networks can lead to isolation and stress, yet also open opportunities for self-definition and agency. By framing maternal well-being as both a psychological and a structural phenomenon, this talk invites reflection on how care itself can be redesigned - not as an individual burden but as a shared social responsibility.

Free

ovcpa.gadc@g.msuiit.edu.ph

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