Levels Of Acculturative Stress Research Articles

Factors influencing children's emotional and behavioral problems perceived by North Korean refugee mothers: a descriptive study.

The study investigated the relationships between key variables, including the level of parenting knowledge, acculturative stress, depression, and the strengths and difficulties associated with their children's emotions and behavior, among North Korean refugee mothers who faced the challenging task of adapting to Korean society while raising their children. A descriptive study design was used. Data were collected from 130 North Korean refugee mothers between September and November 2023. The participants had very limited parenting knowledge, and 82.3% of them scored 21 or higher on the depression scale used in community epidemiological studies. Higher levels of parenting knowledge and lower levels of depression were associated with lower levels of acculturative stress. Moreover, higher levels of depression were associated with more emotional and behavioral difficulties in children. Maternal depression, age, and employment status were identified as factors that influenced emotional and behavioral problems in preschool-aged children. These findings underscore the importance of providing parent education and mental health support programs for North Korean refugee families in order to improve parents' parenting skills and emotional well-being.

Factors affecting cultural adaptation stress by gender among multicultural adolescents in Korea

Purpose: This paper is a descriptive survey research to identify factors that affect acculturation stress in multicultural adolescents, and provide basic information that can be used to develop ways to improve their mental health.Methods: This study used the data of the 2nd multicultural adolescents panel study provided on December 30, 2022 by the National Youth Policy Institute. The subjects of this study were 1,520 multicultural adolescents in the fourth grade of elementary school and the survey period was from July to November 2020. The dependent variable was acculturation stress, and the explanatory variables were as follows: mother’s and father’s country of origin, region size, home economic conditions, academic achievement, experience of discrimination, mother’s level of education, father’s level of education, and number of close friends. Data analysis involved calculation of descriptive statistics, analysis of differences in the level of acculturative stress and general characteristics between male and female adolescents, and multiple regression analysis.Results: This study found that there are gender differences in significant influencing factors for acculturation stress among multicultural adolescents. For males, factors influencing acculturation stress were identified as regional size, mother's education level, parental support, and teacher support. For females, they were regional size, experience of discrimination, number of close friends, parental support, and self-esteem.Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that psychiatric nurses should provide psychiatric nursing and counseling to multicultural adolescents in addition to clinical psychiatric nursing. Various mental health programs should be developed for multicultural adolescents, with a focus on counseling, education, and family therapy.

Immigrant Parent Legal Status and Children's Health in the Hispanic Community Health Study of Latino Youth (SOL Youth).

We assess how immigrant parent legal status shapes children's physical and mental health. Using the Hispanic Community Health Study of Latino Youth-a multi-site dataset-we evaluated mean differences in multiple physical and mental health indicators and parents' and children's stress and resilience by parents' (primarily mothers') legal status (N = 1177). We estimated regression models of two overall child health outcomes-allostatic load and any internalized disorder. Average allostatic load was 28% higher (0.36 standard deviations) and average prevalence of any internalizing disorder was 16% points greater for children of foreign-born unauthorized versus US-born parents. Higher levels of socioeconomic and acculturative stress contributed to children of foreign-born unauthorized parents' heightened health risk, while resilience factors-parental health and familial support-protected their health. Children with unauthorized immigrant parents experience both negative physical and mental health outcomes that can have potential long-term costs.

Maternal stressors and maternal bonding among immigrant and Refugee Arab Americans resettled in the United States.

Maternal bonding with the infant and child is essential for the growth and development of the child, and for establishing the relationship between them. The effect of maternal acculturative stress, trauma, and depressive symptoms on maternal bonding has been established in nonimmigrant populations, but not in immigrant and refugee populations. In this study, we aimed to (1) examine the relationships among maternal psychosocial stress (acculturative stress, posttraumatic stress), depressive symptoms, and maternal bonding, and (2) examine whether maternal depression is a mediator of the relationship between maternal psychosocial stress and maternal bonding among a sample of Arab American immigrant and refugee mothers. Using a cross-sectional design, we recruited 78 immigrant and refugee Arab American mothers. Acculturative stress was correlated with posttraumatic stress (ρ = 0.56, p < 0.001), depressive symptoms (ρ = 0.48, p < 0.001), and bonding impairment (ρ = 0.39, p < 0.001). Posttraumatic stress and depressive symptoms were also correlated with maternal bonding impairment (ρ = 0.39, and 0.52, respectively, p < 0.001 for both). The effect of maternal psychosocial stress on maternal bonding was mediated by depressive symptoms. We concluded that higher levels of acculturative stress and posttraumatic stress were associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms and impairment of maternal bonding. Additionally, maternal depressive symptoms mediated the relationship between maternal stress and bonding. Assessing the stressors and depressive symptoms of immigrant and refugee mothers is key to avoiding negative effects on child outcomes.

Examining the relationship between non-suicidal self-injury and mental health among female Arab minority students: the role of identity conflict and acculturation stress.

Research suggests that individuals from minority backgrounds, including immigrants and ethnic minorities, may be at a higher risk for non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). The aim of the present research is to examine the relationship between non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and identity conflict and acculturation stress, depression, and risk behaviors among female Arab minority students. The sample analyzed consisted of 1,529 female Arab students (85.8% B.A. students, 14% M.A. students) aged 21-54 (M = 23, SD = 4.17). The participants completed self-reported questionnaires assessing NSSI engagement, identity conflict and acculturation stress, depression, and risky substance use behavior. As expected, we found a significant positive association between NSSI and identity crisis. In addition, an identity conflict and acculturation stress impact the effect of depression and risky substance use behaviors in engaging in self-injury. Namely, participants were more likely to engage in NSSI when they also experienced identity conflict and acculturation stress and exhibited depressive symptoms and tended to display risky substance use behavior. These findings provide evidence that the relationship between depression, risky substance use behavior, and NSSI may be stronger among individuals who experience higher levels of identity conflict and acculturation stress. Implications for intervention and future research are briefly presented.

Understanding the concurrence of environmental characteristics in Latino youth: A person-centered approach.

The current study aimed to identify profiles of youth presenting with a unique combination of environmental characteristics and understand the differential relationship between profile membership, anxiety, and depression symptoms. Data were drawn from 158 Latino youth between the ages of 11 and 13. Youth provided information on community violence exposure, acculturative stress, familial and peer support, and parental supervision. Main analyses included Latent Profile Analysis and Multivariate Analysis of Variance. Support for a four-profile model was found. Profiles are distinguished by mean levels of community violence exposure, acculturative stress, familial and peer support, and parental supervision. Profile membership was significantly associated with anxiety and depression, separately. Those belonging to the profile with the highest levels of environmental risk reported the highest levels of anxiety and depression. Findings contribute to a personalized understanding of risk and protective experiences in the environment for Latino youth.

Psychosocial Determinants of Mental Healthcare Use Among Mexican-origin Women from Farmworker Families in Southern California.

Little is known about the contribution of psychosocial factors related to mental healthcare use among Mexican-origin women from farmworker families. Therefore, this study assessed relationships between acculturative stress, depressive symptoms, mental healthcare service use, and preferences for seeking care. Linear and logistic regression models and chi-square tests were performed to analyze survey data from 78 Mexican-origin women from farmworker families. Women were recruited in collaboration with promotoras and completed measures of acculturative stress, depressive symptoms, and mental healthcare use and preferences. Overall, 29.5% of the sample reported clinically significant depressive symptomatology. Acculturative stress was positively associated with depressive symptoms (b = 0.43, 95%CI = 0.27,0.59) after controlling for years in the U.S., primary language, and demographic characteristics. In addition, acculturative stress was associated with lower odds of mental healthcare use (OR = 0.96) after controlling for years in the U.S. and depressive symptoms. However, this association was no longer statistically significant when controlling for health insurance status and access to transportation. Mexican-origin women with high levels of acculturative stress were significantly more likely to seek care from a psychiatrist/psychologist than their peers (54.3% vs. 45.7%); however, this preference was not indicative of their use of mental healthcare services. Results suggest that acculturative stress is a risk factor for depressive symptoms and might contribute to a delay in seeking mental healthcare services in Mexican-origin women from farmworker families. Thus, interventions for this group should address aspects of acculturative stress as a strategy to increase mental health services use.

Self-reported COVID-19 symptoms and perceived likelihood of suicide attempt among Latinx individuals who experience acculturative stress

The impact of COVID-19 has led to a substantial economic and psychosocial burden on the Latinx population. However, few studies have evaluated how COVID-19 symptoms may exacerbate suicide risk indicators among Latinx persons, or the particular social determinants of health facilitating such detrimental effects. The present study examined the association between self-reported COVID-19 symptoms and suicide likelihood (i.e., self-reported perceived likelihood that one will attempt suicide in the future) among Latinx individuals within a timeframe involving high COVID-19 contagion before the onset of vaccine dissemination. Further, the possible moderating role of acculturative stress in the association between COVID-19 symptoms and suicide likelihood was examined. The sample included 200 Latinx participants (67.5% male, Mage = 34.67 years, SD = 9.15) who completed self-report measures on COVID-19 symptoms, suicide likelihood, acculturative stress, depressive symptoms, trauma symptoms, somatic symptoms, and general COVID-19 emotional impact. Findings indicated that self-reported COVID-19 symptoms were positively associated with suicide likelihood. Further, the association between COVID-19 symptoms and suicide likelihood was moderated by acculturative stress, such that the association was only statistically significant at mean or higher levels of acculturative stress but was not significant among participants with lower acculturative stress. The moderation effect was statistically significant after controlling for sociodemographic factors, depressive symptoms, trauma symptoms, somatic symptoms, and the general emotional impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The current findings indicate that, among Latinx individuals, acculturative stress is a key social determinant of health for marked psychological distress in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Acculturation Experiences and Preterm Birth in Berlin: Does Acculturative Stress Contribute to Preterm Birth?

Acculturation and acculturative stress are potential risk factors for adverse perinatal outcomes. This study investigates whether and how acculturative stress affects preterm birth (PTB) in a sample of migrant women in Berlin. We interviewed 955 women who recently gave birth using standardized questionnaires (Frankfurt Acculturation Scale and Acculturative Stress Index). Multivariable logistic regression analyses assessed the effects of acculturation and acculturative stress on PTB. Women with migrant backgrounds did not have significantly higher PTB rates than German natives. First-generation migrants experienced higher acculturative stress levels than second-generation migrants, 38.8% vs. 13.2%. Acculturative stress could not be identified as a risk factor for PTB in our sample. These results need to be considered in the context of an international city and the wide use of antenatal care services in our population, which could be responsible for similarly good perinatal outcomes and highlights the potential of good access to perinatal care for vulnerable groups.

The association between acculturative stress and rule-breaking behaviors among Latinx adolescents in rural areas: A moderated mediation analysis.

The present study examined the association between acculturative stress and rule-breaking behaviors, with depressive symptoms as the mediator, and emotion regulation and parental behavioral involvement (i.e., time spent in shared activities between parents and adolescents) as the moderators among Latinx adolescents in rural areas. Using a sample of Latinx adolescents (N = 193; Mage = 15.90; 54.4% female) recruited from rural areas, a moderated mediation model was tested. Findings showed that the mediational pathways connecting acculturative stress, depressive symptoms, and rule-breaking behaviors were moderated by emotion regulation and parental behavioral involvement. Specifically, higher levels of acculturative stress were associated with higher levels of rule-breaking behaviors through elevated depressive symptoms only among adolescents who reported low levels of both emotion regulation and parental behavioral involvement. These findings underscore the importance of considering multiple contextual factors in understanding the development of internalizing and externalizing behaviors among Latinx adolescents in rural areas. The findings suggest intervention programs may target parental behavioral involvement and emotion regulation to help adolescents cope with acculturative stress and perhaps other minority stressors. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Gender Difference in the Association between Religious Participation and Acculturative Stress: Evidence from Korean Immigrants in the United States

The present study examines the interplay between participation in religious services and gender differences in mitigating acculturative stress among Korean immigrants in the United States. Using cross-sectional survey data from a total of 164 Korean immigrants, our findings suggest that participation in religious services is significantly associated with a lower level of acculturative stress, and the negative association became stronger when a participant is female. This study is one of few empirical studies that examine the differential role of participation in religious services across gender in reducing acculturative stress among Korean immigrants in the United States.

Dealing with Acculturative Stress: How International Students’ Personality Traits Help?

Studies on international students have gained popularity over the past decades, especially; international students’ experience on acculturative stress has been a significant research topic for researchers in different countries. However, there remains a gap in how personality traits influence the ways that international students deal with acculturative stress. This study aims to investigate acculturative stress-related experiences of five international students from five countries studying in Canada. Applying a collective case study as a qualitative research method and collecting data from semi-structured in-depth interviews, this study expects to describe levels of stress that these students encounter and explore how their personality traits shaped by social, cultural, and political contexts influence their acculturative stress levels and their ability to get over these experiences.

Objectively-Measured Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviors and Related Factors in Chinese Immigrants in the US with Prior Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.

Chinese immigrants in the US are disproportionately affected by gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). The aims of this study were to describe their physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviors (SB) patterns and to identify determinates of objectively-measured PA and SB among Chinese immigrants in the US with prior GDM. We conducted a cross-sectional study among 106 Chinese immigrants with prior GDM across the US. PA and SB were measured by GT9X+ hip accelerometers for 7 consecutive days. Validated questionnaires in English and Chinese were used to assess knowledge and risk perceptions as well as cultural and psychosocial characteristics. Descriptive, bivariate, and multiple regression analyses were performed. Only 27% of participants met the PA guidelines. The median duration of moderate–vigorous-intensity PA (MVPA) per week was 79 (IQR 38–151) minutes. Participants had an average of 9.2 ± 1.4 h of sedentary time per day. Living with parents (who may provide family support) was associated with more MVPA minutes per week, more steps per day, and a greater likelihood of meeting PA guidelines. Higher levels of acculturative stress were associated with fewer MVPA minutes per week. Being employed and having a lower BMI were associated with more SB. Strategies are needed to increase MVPA among this high-risk group, including decreasing acculturative stress and increasing family support. Different strategies are needed to decrease SB among this population.

Test of a Social Cognitive Model of Restorative Well-Being: Application to International Students

The social cognitive model of restorative well-being (Lent, 2004) focuses on the means by which people help to stabilize their emotional functioning after exposure to challenging life conditions. We extended this model to the study of how international students navigate psychological adjustment to life in the United States. In this application, we focused on the interplay of cognitive, behavioral, social, and trait mechanisms that may help to mitigate distress and promote well-being in the context of change and transition. Participants were 233 international students at U.S. colleges and universities who completed measures of acculturative stress, life satisfaction, social support, self-efficacy in coping with life changes, general self-efficacy, and acculturation- and enculturation-based coping behaviors. Findings indicated that the model provided good fit to the data. Coping efficacy was strongly predictive of lower levels of acculturative stress, which in turn predicted life satisfaction together with general self-efficacy. We consider implications of the findings for future research as well as for interventions designed to prevent psychological distress and to promote effective coping among international students and in a broad range of other stress and coping contexts, such as life role transitions.

The role of time perspective and acculturative stress on adaptive and maladaptive stress coping strategies of Puerto Ricans living in the island of Puerto Rico and the state of Connecticut in mainland United States.

We assessed the role of Time Perspective (TP) and acculturative stress on adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies, across healthy and treatment-seeking Puerto Ricans living in the island of Puerto Rico (PR), as well as at the state of Connecticut in mainland United States (US). Participants were comprised of 197 adults from the island of PR, as well as 138 adults from Connecticut. TP was measured through five categories assessed by the Zimbardo TP Inventory (Past Positive, Past Negative, Present Fatalistic, Present Hedonistic, and Future), the Deviation from a Balanced Time Perspective-revisited (DBTPr) coefficient, and the Deviation from the Negative Time Perspective (DNTP) coefficient. Acculturative stress was measured with the Acculturative Distress Scale. Adaptive and maladaptive stress-coping were measured through the Brief COPE Inventory. DNTP predicted adaptive coping, whereas acculturative stress, Present Hedonistic, and DBTPr predicted maladaptive coping. Puerto Ricans living in Connecticut engaged more often in maladaptive coping than those in PR. Acculturative stress partially mediated the influence of DBTPr on maladaptive coping. DNTP mediated the influence of state on adaptive coping. DBTPr and acculturative stress totally mediated the influence of state on maladaptive coping. These findings suggest that assessing TP, levels of acculturative stress, and coping strategies could assist in tailoring evidence-based interventions to the specific needs of Puerto Rican populations. Doing so could be effective in promoting a Balanced Time Perspective, reducing acculturative stress, increasing adaptive coping, and improving mental as well as physical health, on Puerto Ricans living in PR or mainland US.

Development of the Multidimensional Inventory of Deaf Acculturative Stress.

Deaf adults may experience acculturative stress as they navigate within and between the Hearing and Deaf communities. However, no measure has been developed to assess levels of deaf acculturative stress. This study aimed to develop the Multidimensional Inventory of Deaf Acculturative Stress (MIDAS). The MIDAS was developed through a sequential and iterative scale development procedure and then tested on a sample of 104 deaf adults across the United States (age range = 18-79; 74% female). Principal component analyses were run for item refinement and selection. The final analyses yielded four factors for Stress from the Hearing Community, three factors for Stress from the Deaf Community, and two factors for Intersectionality. Construct validity was demonstrated through correlations in the expected directions with measures of Hearing and Deaf acculturation identity and ethnic/racial identity. The utility of the MIDAS is discussed with regard to future research.

The Influence of Mothers’ Acculturative Stress on Adolescents&amp;apos; Depression in Multicultural Families: The Moderating Effect of Sex

Background: With the increasing number of multicultural adolescents, concerns about their healthy development are also on the rise. This study aimed to examine the influence of mothers’ acculturative stress on adolescents’ depression in multicultural families with respect to the moderating effect of sex.Methods: A series of regression analyses were conducted using a sample of 1,052 adolescents from multicultural families composed of a foreign-born mother and a Korean father based on the 9th wave of the Multicultural Adolescents Panel Study (MAPS).Results: First, foreign-born mothers’ acculturative stress positively and significantly influenced adolescents’ depression. When the level of acculturative stress increased, so did the level of depression. Second, the influence of mothers’ acculturative stress on adolescents’ depression was moderated by sex. The influence was larger for female than for male adolescents.Conclusions: Based on its findings, this study discussed intervention strategies to address depression among multicultural adolescents.

Sociodemographic Determinants of Acculturation Stress Among International University Students

The study attempted to identify which sociodemographic factors predict acculturation stress and also to examine the levels of acculturation stress amongst 208 international students enrolled in a Malaysian university. A convenience sampling technique was implemented for data collection by utilizing a self-reported questionnaire. As for the sociodemographic factors predict acculturation stress multiple regression analyses demonstrated that among the independent variables, family support, year of study, difficulties in comprehending lectures, and strains of relationship with boyfriend/girlfriend had significant predictive effects on acculturation stress. Young and male international students expressed significantly higher levels of acculturation stress than their older and female counterparts. Students who acknowledged strong family support and were single depicted lesser acculturative stress compared to those with inadequate support and were in a romantic relationship. As for the levels of acculturation stress, findings revealed that acculturation stress was relatively high amongst most of the international students. Perceptions of discrimination and rejection, as well as feelings of homesickness and fear were portrayed by large numbers of students.

Economic Pressure and Parent Acculturative Stress: Effects on Rural Midwestern Low-Income Latinx Child Behaviors.

Contrary to the visible Latinx population growth in rural America, rural Latinx households have experienced far greater economic disparities compared to Whites. Family economic stress predicts parents’ emotional distress, lower family functioning, and places children at high risk for behavior problems. However, few studies have examined the combined effects of economic and acculturative stress on rural Latinx child behaviors, nor the family stress process among rural Latinx immigrant families in the Midwest, a new settlement area for Latinx and other immigrants (Kandel & Cromartie, 2004). Guided by the family stress model (FSM), we examined the relationships among economic pressure, parent acculturative stress, maternal depressive symptoms, parenting competence and child internalizing and externalizing behaviors using a sample of 148 rural low-income Latinx immigrant mothers in a Midwestern state. Structural equation modeling was performed to test these relationships. Results revealed that higher levels of economic pressure and parent acculturative stress were related to higher levels of maternal depressive symptoms, which in turn were associated with lower parenting competence and eventually linking to higher levels of child externalizing behaviors. Maternal depressive symptoms were positively associated with child internalizing behaviors. Parent acculturative stress was also found to be directly linked to child internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Intervention programs that aim to promote health and well-being among rural Latinx immigrant mothers and their children may find it beneficial to incorporate information and strategies that lessen parent acculturative stress and depression, promote parenting competence, and connect families to resources to help reduce economic pressure.

Discrimination, acculturative stress, alcohol use and their associations with alcohol-related consequences among Latino immigrant men

Latino immigrant men are at increased risk for unhealthy alcohol use and related consequences due to social stressors associated with immigration. We assessed the associations of, and examined whether social stressors moderated associations between, alcohol use and alcohol-related consequences in a community-based sample of Latino immigrant men in Washington (N = 187). The mean Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test Consumption (AUDIT-C) score was 6.3 (scores ≥ 4 indicate unhealthy alcohol use). More than half of the men (61.5%) reported experiencing discrimination in at least one setting and mean acculturative stress score was 18.3 indicating moderate levels of acculturative stress. Linear regression models were fit to assess main effects (associations between both alcohol use and social stressors and alcohol-related consequences) and moderation (whether the association between alcohol use and consequences varied based on experience of social stressors using multiplicative interaction) after adjustment for potential confounders. Alcohol use (β = 0.47, 95% CI = 0.20-0.73; p = .001), discrimination (β = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.27-1.43; p = .004), and acculturative stress (β = 0.13, 95% CI = 0.02-0.24; p = .025) were all associated with increased experience of alcohol-related consequences. The association between alcohol use and alcohol-related consequences was stronger for those with high levels of acculturative stress (p = .025) but not experience of discrimination (p = .587). Findings underscore the importance of social and cultural context in alcohol use and related consequences. Efforts to reduce negative consequences of drinking may include focus on reducing exposure to discrimination and acculturative stress.