Family Cohesion and Social Support: Protective Factors for Acculturation Stress Among Low-Acculturated Mexican Migrants

Abstract

International migration has significant effects on the lives of migrants, many resulting from the challenges of cultural adjustment they face in their country of destination. Cultural adjustment or acculturation often includes physical, psychological, spiritual, social, financial, linguistic, and familial adaptation. This process may produce an acculturative stress reaction arising from the psychological difficulties migrants experience as they adapt to unfamiliar social norms, customs, and institutions they encounter in a new cultural context. Protective factors and coping mechanisms may be present to help migrants manage acculturative stress. This study examines the relationship between acculturative stress and family cohesion and social support among low-acculturated Mexican migrants in Chicago. Specifically, the authors hypothesize that there will be a negative relationship between stress level and the measures of family cohesion and social support. Two models are presented. The first examines the relationship between the dependent variable, acculturative stress level, and the demographic and social characteristics of respondents. The second includes variables measuring family cohesion and social support, while also controlling for problems experienced relative to support. The results indicate that only a very small proportion of the total variance in acculturative stress is explained by demographic characteristics, yet the second model, which includes measures of family cohesion and social support accounts for almost 20% of the variance in acculturative stress scores. The results indicate that 403 404 M. V. de Haymes et al. individuals who have greater levels of family engagement as well as individuals who have greater levels of family satisfaction have lower levels of acculturative stress.

Emotional Testimonies: An Ethnographic Study of Emotional Suffering Related to Migration from Mexico to Arizona

“…While the most commonly identified structural barrier to immigrant health is limited access to medical care ( 5 ), a smaller body of literature has documented the occurrence and potential health consequences of other powerful psychosocial stressors present during immigration. These include discrimination ( 6 ); targeted enforcement by police and border authorities ( 7 , 8 ); social isolation ( 9 ); mistrust of police authorities and fear of deportation and detention ( 10 , 11 ); and family separation ( 12 ).…”

Validation of the brief scale for the evaluation of acculturation stress in migrant population (EBEA)

“…Thinking about how to adapt to the new culture, how to generate new social networks, and how to maintain a favourable economic status in the new country, leaving behind one’s culture, family, and loved ones, and preparing to leave is one of the most stressful stages of acculturation (Ugalde-Watson et al, 2011 ; Urzúa, Basabe, et al, 2017 ). However, meeting basic needs, finding work, and a place to live are part of the socioeconomic concerns that affect the migrant population the most (Bekteshi & Kang, 2020 ; Ugalde-Watson et al, 2011 ), because many times people migrate without sufficient support networks in the host country (de Haymes, Martone, Muñoz, & Grossman, 2011 ). From this point on, the migrant is often left in a more vulnerable social position and with few opportunities to get a stable job to maintain the personal-family economy as opposed to local residents (Urzúa et al, 2016 ).…”

Institutional Supports and Life Satisfaction: The Case of Cross-border Marriage Migrants in South Korea

“…As suggested, social scientists examine the association between immigrant social networks and their impacts on quality of life. As well as instrumental and material assistances, they argue that supports from interpersonal networks are helpful for immigrants as emotional and psychological perspectives (Cheong et al 2007; Croucher 2011; Hagan 1998; Harker 2001; McMichael and Manderson 2004; Silveira and Allebeck 2001; Vega et al 1991; Vidal de Haymes et al 2011).…”

“…Scholars further argue that immigrant social networks shape emotional and psychological well-being of immigrant population (Croucher 2011; Hagan 1998; Vega et al 1991). They demonstrate that social connections and support networks have positive influences on immigrants’ wellness, including quality of life, mental health, identity formation, and cultural adaptation (Cheong et al 2007; Harker 2001; McMichael and Manderson 2004; Silveira and Allebeck 2001; Vidal de Haymes et al 2011). Among various dimensions of networks, immigrants’ strong ties with family members and relatives yield better psychological outcomes (Harker 2001; Silveira and Allebeck 2001; Vega et al 1991; Vidal de Haymes et al 2011).…”