Abstract
Multiple research has indicated that group identity processes are critical to understanding the dynamics of psychological well-being linked to migration. However, few studies have analyzed the relationship between identity from different theoretical perspectives, and the mental health of migrants in the Latin-American context. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between several identity indicators such as ethnic identity, collective self-esteem, identity fusion (with the country of origin and the host country) simultaneously, and different dimensions of psychological well-being of Colombian migrants living in Chile. The sample consisted of 887 Colombian migrants, of whom 435 (49%) were men and 452 (51%) were women. Participants were residents of the cities of Arica (n=204; 23%), Antofagasta (n=469; 52.9%), and Santiago (n=214; 24.1%) in Chile. The results revealed by structural equation modeling indicate that collective self-esteem and ethnic identity show positive relationships with almost all dimensions of psychological well-being, while identity fusion with Colombia only showed a positive relationship with the dimension positive relationships and identity fusion with Chile only showed a positive relationship with the dimension autonomy. Implications and limitations of these results are discussed at the end.
Highlights
IntroductionChile has granted more than 1.9 million visas to foreigners [Departamento de Extranjería y Migración (DEM), 2021], which represents about 7.8% of the total population living in the country [Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas (INE) y Departamento de Extranjería y Migración (DEM), 2019]
In 2020, 281 million migrants were reported worldwide [International Organization for Migration (IOM), 2020], and it is expected that by 2050 the number of people living in a country other than the one in which they were born will exceed 343 million (Chamie, 2020).In the last decade, Chile has granted more than 1.9 million visas to foreigners [Departamento de Extranjería y Migración (DEM), 2021], which represents about 7.8% of the total population living in the country [Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas (INE) y Departamento de Extranjería y Migración (DEM), 2019]
Given the prominent migratory boom that Chile has experienced in recent years and the scarce studies related to the mental health of migrants who have settled in Chile, it is necessary to have studies on the subject (Urzúa and Cabieses, 2018)
Summary
Chile has granted more than 1.9 million visas to foreigners [Departamento de Extranjería y Migración (DEM), 2021], which represents about 7.8% of the total population living in the country [Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas (INE) y Departamento de Extranjería y Migración (DEM), 2019]. Most migrants in Chile are from other Latin-American countries, including Colombia. Colombians are the third largest migrant population living in Chile after Peruvians and Venezuelans (Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas (INE) y Departamento de Extranjería y Migración (DEM), 2019). Despite the increase in Colombian immigration in Chile, studies that focus on inquiring about the well-being and variables related to the mental health of this population have been scarce (Urzúa and Cabieses, 2018).
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