Hugging, Drinking Tea, and Listening: Mental Health Needs of Turkish Immigrants

Abstract

Twelve Turkish immigrants were interviewed in a hypothesis-generating, qualitative investigation of their immigration experiences and mental health needs. Findings suggest high levels of psychological distress associated with homesickness, lack of English proficiency, problematic immigration status, difficulty adjusting to a new culture, and financial problems. Possible implications for clinicians are discussed.Doce inmigrantes turcos fueron entrevistados en una investigación cualitativa para generar hipótesis sobre sus experiencias con la inmigración y sus necesidades en salud mental. Los hallazgos indican niveles altos de angustia psicológica asociada con la añoranza del hogar, la falta de dominio del inglés, estatus de inmigración problemático, dificultades para ajustarse a una nueva cultura y problemas económicos. Se discuten posibles implicaciones para los profesionales clínicos.

Implications of Transnational Adoption Status for Adult Korean Adoptees

“…Participants described their postadoption adjustment as stressful because of the pressures of acculturation and attempts to manage feelings of loss. These experiences are more aligned with narratives of traditional immigrant groups (Sohtorik & McWilliams, 2011). However, if adoptees were not placed in a Korean household, the maintenance of cultural connections was more challenging.…”