A Rough Guide to Immigrant Acculturation: Hassles, Stress, & Support Saba Safdar, Ph.D. Centre for Cross-Cultural Research, Psychology Department Presented at the SOAS, University of London October 29, 2008

What is Acculturation? Acculturation is the process of cultural and psychological change that takes place as a result of contact between cultural groups and their individual members (Redfield, Linton & Herskovits, 1936). Acculturation is the process of cultural and psychological change that takes place as a result of contact between cultural groups and their individual members (Redfield, Linton & Herskovits, 1936).

Acculturation Research Research on acculturation in the last four decades indicates that the long term psychological consequences of the process of acculturation depend on social and personal factors that reside in the society of origin and the characteristics of the society of settlement (Berry 1997; Berry & Safdar, 2007; Phinney et al., 2001). Research on acculturation in the last four decades indicates that the long term psychological consequences of the process of acculturation depend on social and personal factors that reside in the society of origin and the characteristics of the society of settlement (Berry 1997; Berry & Safdar, 2007; Phinney et al., 2001).

Acculturation of Iranians The Goals of the study were: The Goals of the study were: 1. To evaluate the generalizability of Multidimensional Individual Difference Acculturation (MIDA) model which includes the key factors identified for a framework of cultural adaptation for immigrants. 2. To identify characteristics of groups and settings that influence the adaptation of immigrants.

Components of the MIDA Model Connectedness Family Allocentrism, In-group Support, Ethnic Identity Hassles In-group, Out-group, Family, & General Acculturation Attitudes Contact with In-group & Heritage culture Contact with Out-group & New culture Avoidance of Psycho- Physical Distress Psychological & Physical Distress Psycho-Social Resources Psychological Well-being, Out-group Support, Cultural Competence

Varieties of Intercultural Strategies (Berry, 1974) Maintenance of heritage culture Contact with the other group Integration Assimilation Separation Marginalization - -+

Multidimensional Acculturation Model – Safdar, Lay, & Struthers (2003) Psycho-Social Resources Connectedness Hassles Separation Assimilation Out-group Contact In-group Contact Psycho-Physical Distress _ + + _ _ _ _ + + _ P B

Measures Psychological well-being (18-item; Ryff & Singer, 1989) Psychological well-being (18-item; Ryff & Singer, 1989) Cultural Competence (10-item; based on Lay et al., 1998) Cultural Competence (10-item; based on Lay et al., 1998) Perceived Social Support (12-item; Zimet, Dahlem, Zimet, & Farley, 1988) Perceived Social Support (12-item; Zimet, Dahlem, Zimet, & Farley, 1988) Ethnic Identity Scale (9-item; Cameron, Sato, Lay, & Lalonde, 1997) Ethnic Identity Scale (9-item; Cameron, Sato, Lay, & Lalonde, 1997) Behavioural Adaptation Scale (8-item; Safdar, Lay, & Struthers, 2003) Behavioural Adaptation Scale (8-item; Safdar, Lay, & Struthers, 2003) Hassles Inventory (12-item; Lay & Nguyen, 1998) Hassles Inventory (12-item; Lay & Nguyen, 1998) Acculturation Attitudes (4-item; van Oudenhoven & Eisses, 1998) Acculturation Attitudes (4-item; van Oudenhoven & Eisses, 1998) Psychological Distress (9-item; van Oudenhoven & van der Zee, 1994) Psychological Distress (9-item; van Oudenhoven & van der Zee, 1994) Health Symptoms Scale (6-item; Safdar et al., 2003) Health Symptoms Scale (6-item; Safdar et al., 2003)

The Three Countries in the Study Participants in the study were first generation Iranian immigrants in the U.S., the U.K., and the Netherlands. The U.S., the U.K., and the Netherlands, are relatively similar in cultural terms, including values, family structure, religion, and gender equality (Hofstede, 2001). The U.S., the U.K., and the Netherlands, are relatively similar in cultural terms, including values, family structure, religion, and gender equality (Hofstede, 2001). The U.S., U.K., and the Netherlands differ in their level of “policy diversity” from Canada (Berry, Westin, Virta, Vedder, Rooney, & Sang, 2006).

Iranians in the UK 68 Male, 26 Female 68 Male, 26 Female Age M=33 Age M=33 Years in Britain M=10 Years in Britain M=10 41% Citizen 41% Citizen 40% Refugee 40% Refugee 46% High school diploma or under 46% High school diploma or under 38% Employed 38% Employed 29% Home-maker/ Student 29% Home-maker/ Student 32% Unemployed 32% Unemployed

Iranians in the Netherlands 40 Male & 40 Female 40 Male & 40 Female Age M=37 Age M=37 Years in the Netherlands: M=10 Years in the Netherlands: M=10 49% Refugee, 43% Citizen 49% Refugee, 43% Citizen 95% Post Secondary 95% Post Secondary 27% Unemployed 27% Unemployed 24% Student/Homemaker 24% Student/Homemaker

Iranians in the USA 35 Male, 28 Female 35 Male, 28 Female Age M=36 Age M=36 Years in the U.S. M=19 Years in the U.S. M=19 59% US Citizen 59% US Citizen 98% Post-secondary 98% Post-secondary 76% Employed 76% Employed 24% Student/ Home-maker 24% Student/ Home-maker

The Best-Fit Model for the Three Immigrant Groups Psycho-Social Resources Connectedness Hassles Own Culture Maintenance In-group Contact Out-group Contact Psycho-Physical Distress -.26** X 2 (63) = 78.97, p =.08, GFI=.93, TLI =.94, RMSEA =.03.40*** ** -.18* New Culture Acquisition.27**.46*** -.40***

The Best-Fit Model for the Three Immigrant Groups Psycho-Social Resources Connectedness Hassles Own Culture Maintenance In-group Contact Out-group Contact Psycho-Physical Distress.28** New Culture Acquisition.46*** -.40***

The Best-Fit Model for the Three Immigrant Groups Psycho-Social Resources Connectedness Hassles Own Culture Maintenance In-group Contact Out-group Contact Psycho-Physical Distress.40*** -.18* New Culture Acquisition.27**

The Best-Fit Model for the Three Immigrant Groups Psycho-Social Resources Connectedness Hassles Own Culture Maintenance In-group Contact Out-group Contact Psycho-Physical Distress.17 New Culture Acquisition

The Best-Fit Model for the Three Immigrant Groups Psycho-Social Resources Connectedness Hassles Own Culture Maintenance In-group Contact Out-group Contact Psycho-Physical Distress.16 (U.K.);.14 (Dutch).34*** (U.S.).05 (U.K.).50*** (U.S.);.42*** (Dutch) New Culture Acquisition

Psychophysical Distress The three groups differed significantly on Psychophysical Symptoms, F (2, 188) = 6.26, p < The Iranian-American group had significantly lower scores on Psychophysical Symptoms than the other two groups.

Psychological Well-Being The three groups differed significantly on Psychological Well-Being, F (2, 188) = 4.94, p < The Iranian-American group had significantly a higher level of positive psychological functioning than the Iranian-British group.

Cultural and Linguistic Competence The three groups differed significantly on Cultural and linguistic Competence, F (2, 188) = 16.94, p < The Iranian-American group had significantly higher scores on Cultural and linguistic Competence than the other two groups.

Iranians Groups Three waves of emigration from Iran: Three waves of emigration from Iran: 1. Beginning in 1950 and lasting until the 1979 revolution. 2. After revolution and it is referred to as “brain drain.” 3. From mid 1990s to the present and consists of two very distinct population; highly skilled individuals and working-class labour immigrants and economic refugees.

UNHCR (2004) Global Migrant Origin Database (2000) Iranian Asylum Application Germany34,828 Turkey22,708 U.K.22,290 Netherlands19,230 Austria11,315 Canada9,100 U.S.A.6,919 Destination Countries by Size of Iranian-Born Population (2000) U.S.A.291,040 Canada75,115 Germany65,750 Sweden53,982 Israel51,300 U.K.42,494 Netherlands21,469 Austria18,789 France18,376

Conclusion How people acculturate in their ethno-cultural groups and the larger society is a function of the societal and the individual variables. How people acculturate in their ethno-cultural groups and the larger society is a function of the societal and the individual variables. The association between some variables within the MIDA model varies from one cultural context to another and from one immigrant group to the next. The association between some variables within the MIDA model varies from one cultural context to another and from one immigrant group to the next.

Future Research We need to e We need to examine mutual Intercultural Relations in plural societies by combining research traditions of acculturation and intergroup relations.

Varieties of Intercultural Strategies (Berry, 1984) Maintenance of heritage culture Contact with the other group Integration Assimilation Separation Marginalization Multiculturalism Melting pot Segregation Exclusionism

A New International Project Mutual Intercultural Relations in Plural Societies (MIRIPS) Mutual Intercultural Relations in Plural Societies (MIRIPS) Assist us in collecting data among dominant and non- dominant groups in plural societies. Get authorship and publication. Assist us in collecting data among dominant and non- dominant groups in plural societies. Get authorship and publication. Obtain samples of 200 persons distributed evenly by gender and by age groups (20-35, 36-50, 50+) Obtain samples of 200 persons distributed evenly by gender and by age groups (20-35, 36-50, 50+)