This project aims to assess the subjective well-being of immigrants in Italy with transnational families, that is, migrants who currently reside in Italy while having children in the home country. Migrants create transnational families to maximise resources and opportunities in the global economy to be shared among the household members while maintaining a sense of collective unity and responsibility to each other’s well-being. Nonetheless, the benefits generated via emigration can come at great emotional cost whenever affective ties weaken, and parents see their capability to exert control over their children diminished. Moreover, long-distance parenting can engender a sense of guilt, distress and fear of social stigma in emigrated parents.

This study represents the first attempt to analyse the living conditions of transnational families living in Italy quantitatively. In particular, the project investigates the subjective well-being of transnational parents compared with immigrants who live with their children in Italy, or who do not have children at all. To that aim, by using appropriate statistical methods, the project explores the available secondary data sources on the living conditions of the immigrant population in the Italian context. Subjective indicators are used to monitor transnational parents’ well-being in line with the relevant empirical literature, focusing especially on migrant health – both physical and psychological – as well as on other indicators of well-being status, broadly defined. Among these, variables like working and living conditions, education success and social participation will be considered.

As a conclusion, the project will lay the foundation for planning and implementing a dedicated survey on transnational family ties and practices to be carried out in the Municipality of Bologna.