Social perceptions of internal and external migration in Latacungueñas families

Resumen

Internal and external migration is a social phenomenon that influences the family, economic and community dynamics of many Ecuadorian families. The objective of the research was to analyze the social perceptions of internal and external migration in Latacungueño families. A study was developed with a quantitative approach, descriptive, non-experimental, cross-sectional and field design. The population and sample were made up of 200 families residing in the Latacunga canton, selected through a non-probabilistic convenience sampling. The information was collected through a survey applied to a representative of each household using a structured questionnaire with a Likert-type scale. The results showed that 53.5% of the families had a high level of social perception of migration, with an overall mean of 2.39 out of 3 possible points. The most highly valued dimension was external migration (M = 2.49), followed by social perceptions (M = 2.40) and internal migration (M = 2.29). Participants associated migration with employment opportunities, economic improvement and access to better living conditions. However, they also identified effects related to family separation, affective distance and the reorganization of roles within the home. It is concluded that Latacungueño families maintain a predominantly favorable perception towards migration, recognizing both its economic benefits and the social and emotional challenges that this phenomenon generates in the family structure.