The Relationship Between Mental Health, Cultural Identity and Cultural Values in Non-English Speaking Background (NESB) Australian Adolescents

Abstract

In Australia, acculturating adolescents from a non-English speaking background (NESB) face two important challenges: developing a cultural identity and establishing a set of cultural values. These challenges are achieved by balancing a native and Australian orientation. It was expected that NESB adolescents who did not achieve these tasks would experience poor mental health. This study focused on adolescents because a significant relationship between cultural identity, cultural values and mental health in this group will highlight a need for sensitivity to such cultural and developmental issues. Two hundred and sixty-three NESB adolescents completed questionnaires that assessed cultural identity (Australian and native), cultural values (individualism and collectivism), state mental health (depression, anxiety and stress) and trait mental health (positive affectivity [PA] and negative affectivity [NA]). Results indicated that high Australian pride and high native pride are associated with lower depression, anxiety, stress and NA, and higher PA. Results also indicated that adolescents high on individualism and collectivism reported lower depression and stress, and higher PA. Furthermore, adolescents with a separated cultural identity (high native pride and low Australian pride) reported the highest levels of depression, but adolescents with separated cultural values (high collectivism and low individualism) reported the lowest levels of depression and anxiety. We concluded that cultural identity and cultural values are differentially related to mental health, and such relationships, albeit moderate, emerge during adolescence.

Taiwanese Migrants in Australia: An Investigation of Their Acculturation and Wellbeing

“…The process of migration often involves a range of psychosocial adjustments and challenges that may lead to stressful experiences (Ramos, 2005;Sawrikar & Hunt, 2005). Migrants undergo an acculturation process that enables them to adapt to their new settings, although in the context of a diverse society, a range of acculturative choices may be required.…”

Self, social identity and psychological well-being

“…These include: (a) positive-hedonic indicators such as SE, life satisfaction, positive affect, quality-of-life, environmental mastery, positive relations with others, self-acceptance, and (b) negative indicators such as stress, depression, anxiety, hostility/anger/aggression, loss of emotional control and disruptive behavior (e.g. Ahren & Ryff, 2006;Bizumic, Reynold, Turner et al, 2009;Brook, Garcia & Fleming, 2008;Greenfield & Marks, 2007;McDaniel & Grice, 2008;Peterson, Ruch, Bermann et al, 2007;Reich, Harber, & Siegel, 2008;Sawrikar & Hunt, 2005;Yip, Kiang & Puligni, 2008; see also Kwan, Kuang & Hui, 2009). …”

“…Most studies show that the combination of strong ethnic identity and national identity provides a healthy psychological adaptation and wellbeing. In a related study, Sawrikar and Hunt (2005) argued that acculturating adolescents from non-English speaking background face two important challenges: Developing a cultural identity and establishing a set of cultural values. These challenges are achieved by balancing a native and Australian orientation.…”

“…As suggested earlier, the research on different ethnic-immigrant minority groups documents that coping strategies (active, problem-focussed or passive emotion-focused) buffered or moderated the impacts of discrimination and acculturation on various indicators of psychological well-being (e.g., Edwards & Romero, 2008;Miller & Kaiser, 2001;Noh & Kasper, 2003). Moreover, in a globalized world of identity shifts and dislocations as well as with threats of assimilation and homogenization, developing a bicultural or integrated identity has been seen to protect psychological well-being (Phinney et al, 2001;Sawrikar & Hunt, 2005; see also Berry, 2008). Also, as a coping response to stress experiences that emanate from a disconfirmation of a valued identity, individuals may deliberately either drop or deny their identity (an emotionfocussed coping) and/or acquire a new identity (a problemfocussed coping) to moderate various well-being outcomes for them, particularly for those with stigmatized or socially devalued identities (Thoits, 1999).…”

Globalization, Threatened Identities, Coping and Well-Being

“…The strengths of ethnic and national identity among the immigrants vary depending upon their commitment, the support for the maintenance of one's identity, and the threats of assimilation (see Umana-Taylor et al 2002). To cope with the stresses of identity dislocations and shifts as well as the threats of assimilation and homogenization, a problem-focused strategy employed by a group of immigrants is to develop a bicultural identity, that is seen to protect their psychological well-being (Berry 2008;Eytan 2004; see also Phinney et al 2001;Sawrikar and Hunt 2005). Developing a bicultural identity (the combination of strong ethnic identity and national identity) provides an element of identity consistency for the immigrants, which is a pre-requisite condition for psychological well-being, particularly in countries with dominant Western ethos and values.…”