Acculturative Stress in Latin-American Immigrantsan Assessment Proposal

  1. Ruiz Hernández, José Antonio 1
  2. Torrente Hernández, Ginesa 1
  3. Rodríguez González, Ángel 1
  4. Ramírez de la Fe, María del Carmen 1
  1. 1 Universidad de Murcia
    info

    Universidad de Murcia

    Murcia, España

    ROR https://ror.org/03p3aeb86

Journal:
The Spanish Journal of Psychology

ISSN: 1138-7416

Year of publication: 2011

Volume: 14

Issue: 1

Pages: 227-236

Type: Article

DOI: 10.5209/REV_SJOP.2011.V14.N1.20 DIALNET GOOGLE SCHOLAR lock_openOpen access editor

More publications in: The Spanish Journal of Psychology

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Abstract

The aim of this paper was to develop an instrument to assess levels of stress experienced by Latin-American immigrants in their acculturative process in Spain. A sample of 692 immigrants from Latin America, aged 20 to 63 years, took part on this study (54.9% males and 45.1% females). A 24-item questionnaire with high reliability (.92) was elaborated. Six factors related to acculturative stress were found: 1) discrimination and rejection; 2) differences with the out-group (native Spaniards); 3) citizenship problems and legality; 4) problems concerning social relationships with other immigrants; 5) nostalgia and longing; and 6) family break-up. Our findings show that participants have a high level of stress related to nostalgia and longing, family break-up, and the perception of discrimination and rejection by natives. The usefulness of the instrument and its applications and restrictions are discussed.

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Funding information

This work was funded by the I+D project of the Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología “Cultural stress, social support and process of becoming established: Settlement of Latin-American immigrants in the Region of Murcia.” Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to José Antonio Ruiz Hernández. Facultad de Psicología. Universidad de Murcia. 30.100 Campus Universitario de Espinardo. Murcia. (Spain). E-mail: jaruiz@um.es

Funders

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