Acculturation of Immigrants in Canada: A Comparison Study

Acculturation of Immigrants in Canada: A Comparison Study

Saba SafdarSaba SafdarPaper presented at the Paper presented at the

Canadian Psychological AssociationCanadian Psychological Association

Calgary, Alberta June 9Calgary, Alberta June 9thth, 2006, 2006

Acknowledgment Acknowledgment

With special thanks to:With special thanks to: Elsa LopesElsa Lopes Salima JadarjiSalima Jadarji Members of Russian and Indian Members of Russian and Indian

communities in Toronto, Mississauga, communities in Toronto, Mississauga, and Bramptonand Brampton

Funding from College of Social & Funding from College of Social & Applied Research Human Sciences at Applied Research Human Sciences at University of GuelphUniversity of Guelph

Purpose of the Present Purpose of the Present StudyStudy

The purpose of the present study The purpose of the present study was to examine acculturation of was to examine acculturation of immigrants using the immigrants using the Multidimensional Individual Multidimensional Individual Difference Acculturation (MIDA) Difference Acculturation (MIDA) model.model.

Multidimensional Multidimensional Individual Difference Individual Difference Acculturation ModelAcculturation Model

Co-National Connectedness

In-group support, Family allocentrism, Ethnic IdentityAcculturation Specific Hassles In-group, Out-group, & Family

Acculturation Attitudes In-group Contact

Out-group Contact

Psycho-Physical Distress

Psychological & physical distress

Psycho-Social Resilience

Psychological Well-being, Out-group Support, Cultural Competence

Multidimensional Multidimensional Acculturation Model – Safdar, Acculturation Model – Safdar,

Lay, & Struthers (2003) Lay, & Struthers (2003)


Connectedness

Hassles

Separation

Assimilation

Out-group Contact

In-group Contact


_+

+

_

_+

+

+

_

_+

+

_

P B

HypothesesHypotheses

Hypothesis 1 Hypothesis 1 1 a) Immigrants with high psycho-social 1 a) Immigrants with high psycho-social

resilience are less likely to report resilience are less likely to report psycho-physical distress and more likely psycho-physical distress and more likely to maintain contact with the larger to maintain contact with the larger society (outsociety (out--group contact).group contact).

1b) Immigrants with high psycho-social 1b) Immigrants with high psycho-social resilience are more likely to endorse resilience are more likely to endorse assimilation and integration attitudes. assimilation and integration attitudes.

HypothesesHypotheses Hypothesis 2Hypothesis 2

Immigrants with high co-national Immigrants with high co-national connectedness are more likely to maintain connectedness are more likely to maintain contact with their ethnic community (incontact with their ethnic community (in--group contact) and more likely to endorse a group contact) and more likely to endorse a separation attitude toward the larger separation attitude toward the larger society.society.

Hypothesis 3Hypothesis 3 Immigrants who experience high levels of Immigrants who experience high levels of

acculturation specific hassles are more acculturation specific hassles are more likely to experience a high level of psycho-likely to experience a high level of psycho-physical distress.physical distress.

HypothesesHypotheses

Hypothesis 4Hypothesis 4 4 a) Immigrants who endorse separation 4 a) Immigrants who endorse separation

attitude are more likely to maintain contact attitude are more likely to maintain contact with their ethnic community (in-group contact).with their ethnic community (in-group contact).

4 b) Immigrants who endorse assimilation 4 b) Immigrants who endorse assimilation attitude are more likely to maintain contact attitude are more likely to maintain contact with the larger society (out-group contact). with the larger society (out-group contact).

4 c) Immigrants who endorse integration 4 c) Immigrants who endorse integration attitude are more likely to maintain contact attitude are more likely to maintain contact with both their ethnic community and the larger with both their ethnic community and the larger society.society.

4 d) No relation between acculturation attitudes 4 d) No relation between acculturation attitudes and psycho-social distress was predicted.and psycho-social distress was predicted.

Indians in Canada Indians in Canada • 57 Male, 57 Male,

57 Female 57 Female• Age Age MM=38=38• 76% married; 65% had 76% married; 65% had

childrenchildren• Years in Canada Years in Canada MM=9=9• 95% immigrant; 4% 95% immigrant; 4%

refugeerefugee• 81% Post-secondary 81% Post-secondary

(including 20% (including 20% graduate training)graduate training)

• 76% Employed; 5% 76% Employed; 5% unemployedunemployed

Cronbach's alpha of the Cronbach's alpha of the ScalesScales IndianIndian

(N = (N = 114)114)

Russian Russian

(N = (N = 168)168)

Psycho-social ResiliencePsycho-social Resilience

-Psychological well-being (Ryff &-Psychological well-being (Ryff &

Singer, 1989)Singer, 1989)

--Cultural Competence (Cultural Competence (Lay et al., Lay et al., 1998)1998)

-Perceived social Support -Perceived social Support (Zimet,(Zimet,

Dahlem, Zimet, & Farley, 1988)Dahlem, Zimet, & Farley, 1988)

.78 (18-.78 (18-item)item)

.87 (13-.87 (13-item)item)

.94 (3-.94 (3-item)item)

.70 (18-.70 (18-item)item)

.85 (9-.85 (9-item)item)

.87 (3-.87 (3-item)item)

Co-national ConnectednessCo-national Connectedness

-Ethnic Identity Scale (-Ethnic Identity Scale (Cameron, Sato, Cameron, Sato,

Lay, & Lalonde, 1997)Lay, & Lalonde, 1997)

-Family Allocentrism Scale (Lay et al., -Family Allocentrism Scale (Lay et al., 1998)1998)

--Perceived social Support Perceived social Support (Zimet, et (Zimet, et al., 1988)al., 1988)

.84 (15-.84 (15-item)item)

.79 (21-.79 (21-item)item)

.74 (5-.74 (5-item)item)

.83 (12-.83 (12-item)item)

.83 (21-.83 (21-item)item)

.81 (6-.81 (6-item)item)

Hassles Inventory (Lay & Nguyen, 1998)Hassles Inventory (Lay & Nguyen, 1998) .91 (18-.91 (18-item)item)

.76 (18-.76 (18-item)item)

Cronbach's alpha of the Cronbach's alpha of the ScalesScales IndianIndian

(N = 114)(N = 114)Russian Russian

(N = 168)(N = 168)

Acculturation Attitude (Kim, 1984, Acculturation Attitude (Kim, 1984, revisedrevised))

-Assimilation-Assimilation

-Separation-Separation

-Integration-Integration

.71 (4-.71 (4-item)item)

.75 (5-.75 (5-item)item)

.74 (4-.74 (4-item)item)

.70 (8-.70 (8-item)item)

.66 (7-.66 (7-item)item)

.71 (6-.71 (6-item)item)

Acculturation Behaviour Scale (Safdar Acculturation Behaviour Scale (Safdar et al., 2003)et al., 2003)

-In-group contact-In-group contact

-Out-group contact-Out-group contact

.84 (6-.84 (6-item)item)

.82 (6-.82 (6-item)item)

.68 (6-.68 (6-item)item)

.69 (7-.69 (7-item)item)

Psycho-physical Distress Psycho-physical Distress

-Beck Depression Inventory (Beck et -Beck Depression Inventory (Beck et al., 1961)al., 1961)

-Zung Depression Scale (Zung et al., -Zung Depression Scale (Zung et al., 1960)1960)

-Health Symptoms Scales (Safdar et -Health Symptoms Scales (Safdar et al., 2003)al., 2003)

--

.83 (19-.83 (19-item)item)

.94 (18-.94 (18-item)item)

.87 (14-.87 (14-item)item)

--

.79 (18-.79 (18-item)item)

Obtained Status (Safdar et al., 2003)Obtained Status (Safdar et al., 2003) .75 (4-.75 (4-item)item)

.84 (3-.84 (3-item)item)

MIDA Model (Indian-MIDA Model (Indian-Canadian) Canadian)


Co-national Connectedness

Acculturation Hassles

Assimilation

Integration

Out-group Contact

In-group Contact


X2 (24, N= 114) = 35.36, p > .05 X2/df = 1.47, GFI = .95, RMSEA = .07

Separation

Status





Assimilation

Integration

Out-group Contact

In-group Contact


X2 (24, N= 114) = 35.36, p > .05 X2/df = 1.47, GFI = .95, RMSEA = .07

Separation

Status

.59***

-.29***

.46***

-.60***

.20*





Assimilation

Integration

Out-group Contact

In-group Contact


X2 (24, N= 114) = 35.36, p > .05 X2/df = 1.47, GFI = .95, RMSEA = .07

Separation

Status

.36***

.46***

-.35***

.17*





Assimilation

Integration

Out-group Contact

In-group Contact


X2 (24, N= 114) = 35.36, p > .05 X2/df = 1.47, GFI = .95, RMSEA = .07

Separation

Status

.30***





Assimilation

Integration

Out-group Contact

In-group Contact


X2 (24, N= 114) = 35.36, p > .05 X2/df = 1.47, GFI = .95, RMSEA = .07

Separation

Status

.29***

.24**

.23**

.15*

Russians in CanadaRussians in Canada

• 62 Male, 62 Male, 106 Female 106 Female

• Age Age MM=41=41• 80% married; 76% 80% married; 76%

had childrenhad children• Years in Canada Years in Canada

MM= 5= 5• 94% immigrant; 6% 94% immigrant; 6%

refugeerefugee• 89% Post-secondary 89% Post-secondary

(including 15% (including 15% graduate training)graduate training)

• 52% Employed; 20% 52% Employed; 20% unemployedunemployed

MIDA Model (Russian-MIDA Model (Russian-Canadian) Canadian)




Assimilation

Integration

Out-group Contact

In-group Contact


X2 (22, N= 168) = 30.48, p > .05 X2/df = 1.38, GFI=.97, RMSEA = .05

Separation

Status





Assimilation

Integration

Out-group Contact

In-group Contact


X2 (22, N= 168) = 30.48, p > .05 X2/df = 1.38, GFI=.97, RMSEA = .05

-.22**

.35***

-.42***

.21**

Separation

.16*

Status





Assimilation

Integration

Out-group Contact

In-group Contact


X2 (22, N= 168) = 30.48, p > .05 X2/df = 1.38, GFI=.97, RMSEA = .05

-.20**

.31***

-.42***.26***

Separation.16*

Status





Assimilation

Integration

Out-group Contact

In-group Contact


X2 (22, N= 168) = 30.48, p > .05 X2/df = 1.38, GFI=.97, RMSEA = .05

.27***

Separation

Status





Assimilation

Integration

Out-group Contact

In-group Contact


X2 (22, N= 168) = 30.48, p > .05 X2/df = 1.38, GFI=.97, RMSEA = .05

.18**

.38***

.18**

.19**

Separation

-.17*

Status





Assimilation

Integration

Out-group Contact

In-group Contact


X2 (22, N= 168) = 30.48, p > .05 X2/df = 1.38, GFI=.97, RMSEA = .05

.24***

Separation

.15*Status

Conclusion Conclusion

• In both studies psycho-social resilience In both studies psycho-social resilience was positively related to out-group was positively related to out-group contact and negatively to psycho-contact and negatively to psycho-physical distress.physical distress.

• Psycho-social resilience was positively Psycho-social resilience was positively related to assimilation and negatively related to assimilation and negatively to separation.to separation.

• No relation between psycho-social No relation between psycho-social resilience and integration was found. resilience and integration was found.


• In both studies co-national In both studies co-national connectedness was positively related connectedness was positively related to in-group contact.to in-group contact.

• Co-national connectedness was Co-national connectedness was positively related to separation.positively related to separation.

• Co-national connectedness was Co-national connectedness was negatively related to assimilation negatively related to assimilation and positively to integration.and positively to integration.

Conclusion Conclusion Hassles was positively related to Hassles was positively related to

psycho-physical distress.psycho-physical distress. Assimilation was positively related to Assimilation was positively related to

out-group contact.out-group contact. Separation was positively related to in-Separation was positively related to in-

group contact (and positively to psycho-group contact (and positively to psycho-physical distress in the Russian model).physical distress in the Russian model).

Integration was positively related to out-Integration was positively related to out-group contact in the Indian model and group contact in the Indian model and to in-group contact in the Russian to in-group contact in the Russian model.model.


In both studies psycho-social In both studies psycho-social resilience was positively related to resilience was positively related to obtained-status.obtained-status.

In the Indian model, assimilation In the Indian model, assimilation was positively related to status and was positively related to status and in the Russian model co-national in the Russian model co-national connectedness was negatively connectedness was negatively related to status.related to status.

Documents

Acculturation of Immigrants in Canada: A Comparison Study