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Dating can be a difficult time and activity to navigate for everyone. Aspects that affect this can be age, family expectations, and cultural attitudes. In 2011, the Canadian census said that 22% of the population had immigrated to Canada, and 17% were children of parents who had immigrated. Thus cultural and familial attitudes may play a large role in an individual's dating preference, experience and activity. This is important because there is a strong correlation between how well someone feels they fit in in the society they are living in and their psychological health.

There can be a large gap between generational views and desires. Those that have been in Canada for 8 years or more have reported to experience the biggest differences between the views of their peers and their families. In some studies, it shows that young men may acculturate to the North American experience more quickly than young women. In North America, dating is seen as a social activity. It can be seen as fun and as a way to learn about relationships people may want to have in their lives in the future. In some Eastern cultures may see dating as unimportant, a distraction, and a waste of time. This can be especially true when families may play a large role in choosing a partner for marriage. For young adults keeping true to this belief system, it may be easy for them to not date, even using issues like divorce rates in North America as reasoning to dismiss the idea.

When parents and children do not have a close relationship, navigating this time can be even harder. Individuals may experience higher levels of tension and confusion when trying to communicate about it. They may find themselves only divulging some parts of themselves and their lives to their parents, or saying one thing and doing another. This can leave people feeling guilty or disoriented about their identity and values. When parents are more liberal, it leads to more in navigating the current life issues as they present.

No matter where you lie on this issue, it is important that your therapist understands your cultural background and values tied in. It is the counsellor's job to navigate the evolving correlation between personal, social, and cultural identity. Speak with counselors at the beginning of your relationship to ensure they have recognition, experience and understanding with your lived experience so you can navigate social, life, and family issues as they arise in your life.

Navigating Cultural Attitudes and the Generational Gap in Dating