Transnational ties: Resource or stressor on Peruvian migrants' well‐being?

Abstract

This paper explores the role of types and the intensity of transnational ties for migrants' well-being from a global perspective. Based on a literature review, two competing hypotheses are formulated-transnational resources versus transnational stress-according to which transnational ties have either a positive or a negative effect on migrants' well-being. Drawing on data from a large-scale survey of Peruvian migrants worldwide, this paper examines the strength and direction of the relationship between Peruvian migrants' transnational ties and poor well-being, the latter measured as depression/loneliness as a principal concern. While the multivariate regression results do not support the transnational resources hypothesis, partial support is found for the transnational stress hypothesis: more intense transnational ties are positively associated with poor well-being. Our study points the importance of considering transnational ties in research on migrants' well-being and indicates the relevance of developing adequate measurements and longitudinal research designs to explore the causal relationships between migrants' well-being and transnational ties.

Transnational and Local Co-ethnic Social Ties as Coping Mechanisms Against Perceived Discrimination - A Study on the Life Satisfaction of Turkish and Moroccan Minorities in the Netherlands

“…Additionally, the growing body of transnationalism research highlights the importance of transnational co-ethnic social ties of minorities with their friends and families in origin countries ( Basch et al, 1994 ; Faist, 2006 ; Levitt et al, 2006 ; Bilgili 2014a , 2014b ) as well as the importance of these ties for minorities’ well-being (for a recent review: Horn and Fokkema, 2020 ). In today’s world, advanced technologies in communication, (e.g.…”

“…Prior research suggests that transnational social ties with family and friends may have both positive and negative impacts on the subjective well-being and mental health of ethnic minorities ( Torres et al, 2016 ; Horn and Fokkema, 2020 ). On the one hand, transnational social ties can be a stress factor as they may induce feelings of social obligation and emotions of separation.…”

The well-being of newly regularized migrant workers: Determinants of their satisfaction with life as compared to undocumented migrant workers and regular local residents

“…UMW's transnational family circumstances often change over time with for example partners or children initially left behind joining UMWs in the country of destination. Due to the difficulty to assess the complexity of these trajectories, we here only considered the existing relations, to assess their potential role as positive social support resources or negative sources of stress for well-being (Horn & Fokkema, 2020), but not taking into account joint residency. With regards to social participation, we included a binary variable of participation in a club or an association (yes, no).…”

“…This is particularly the case for female migrant care workers who engage in high income countries domestic work and provide important economic support to their relatives left behind (World Health Organization, 2017) while also trying to maintain their care duties in the country of origin. The ambivalence of these transnational ties has been emphasized: on the one hand, they provide social support, even if distant, and motivations for the hardships associated with undocumented work, on the other hand they generate suffering due to the distance and moral obligations towards those left behind (Horn & Fokkema, 2020). Besides these complex relationships, qualitative research has also documented the heterogeneity of UMWs' trajectories (van Meeteren et al, 2015).…”

Older migrants and loneliness: scanning the field and looking forward

“…The emotional component refers to the imaginary attachment and orientation towards one’s country of origin such as feelings of homesickness and nostalgia, longing for the presence of family and friends, return intentions and identifying with the country of origin (Baldassar 2008 ; Skrbiš 2008 ). In the literature, arguments can be found for both positive and negative effects of transnational belonging on loneliness (Horn and Fokkema 2020 ). For example, visiting the country of origin can make one feel surrounded by like-minded people, but upon return it can also heighten the emotions of a prolonged separation from relatives and friends.…”