Alcohol Addiction Recovery Experiences Among Christian African Immigrants, Chukwudera Arthur Egesionu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe problem of alcohol addiction is heightened when other psychological factors are present, such as the stress of acculturation. The purpose of this research was to describe the experiences of Christian African immigrants in America who have used faith-based treatment approaches while in recovery from alcoholism and to determine how their faith may have been a way of coping with their recovery. In this hermeneutic qualitative phenomenological study, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with eight participants. The data were analyzed to explore the experiences of Christian African acculturating to America who endorse a faith-based approach to their recovery, and …

The Effects Of Acculturation, Marianismo, And Religiosity On Pregnancy Related Anxiety In Latina Women, Jennifer M. Zanoli

Doctoral Dissertations

There is a dearth of information about pregnancy related anxiety (PRA) in Latina women, yet a growing body of literature demonstrates adverse birth outcomes for mother and infant due to PRA. This study examined the association between acculturation, religiosity, marianismo, parity, and a Latina pregnant woman’s relationship with her healthcare provider with PRA in Latina women aged 18 and above. Acculturation was expected to be the more robust factor amongst the independent variables.

Participants in this study (n = 53) were Hispanic, Chicano, Latino or had a Latin or Spanish heritage, over the age of 18, pregnant at the …

The Impact Of Acculturative Stress On Internalizing Problems Among Racially And Ethnically Minoritized Adolescents And Young Adults In The U.S. : A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Petty Tineo

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Due to demographic changes of the U.S. population in the past few decades, more attention has been placed on understanding the sociocultural factors that have an impact on racially and ethnically minoritized (REM) groups and mental health outcomes. One of the factors that has been gaining increased attention in the past few years is acculturative stress. Acculturative stress is associated with various mental health outcomes, such as depression, anxiety, psychological distress, and suicide ideation (SI). However, the magnitude of this association remains unclear. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to provide a comprehensive review of the impact of acculturative …

Acculturative Parenting Cognitions: Bicultural Socialization Beliefs Among Chinese American Parents, Albert Lo

Doctoral Dissertations

Chinese American and Chinese immigrant parents within the United States possess parenting cognitions that reflect their multidimensional cultural experiences. One such parenting cognition is parents’ bicultural socialization beliefs, defined as their desire for their children to adopt both heritage Chinese values as well as destination American values in order to be successful in the United States. The aim of the current dissertation was to quantitatively examine bicultural socialization beliefs among Chinese American parents of adolescents and young adults. Four studies were conducted to model a pathway from parents’ social and cultural experiences to outcomes in their children. Study 1 examined …

Neuromodulation To Enhance Attention Training In Socially Anxious Adolescents, Daniella Vaclavik

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Anxiety and its disorders are prevalent and impairing in adolescents, often following a chronic course, and are associated with heightened prospective risk of depressive disorders, substance use disorders, and suicidal behaviors. Traditional interventions such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) have yielded response rates that highlight the critical need to examine treatment outcome moderators in underrepresented populations (i.e., Latino youth), as well as identify and evaluate innovative and alternative interventions that are brief, efficacious, and grounded in neuroscience. In a series of three manuscripts, this dissertation project presents findings on moderators of CBT outcomes in Latino youth (Chapter II) and explores …

The Role Of Acculturative Stress In Immigrant Mental Health, Daaman S. Lall

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Acculturative stress, the stress that originates from adapting to a new culture, is investigated for its role in immigrant mental health. Prior research shows that acculturative stress is commonly associated with adverse mental health outcomes, but this relationship is not inevitable and depends upon many in-group and individual characteristics. This survey study intended to determine whether the relationship found in the literature exists among UCF undergraduate immigrants and whether new variables can play a role in this relationship. Valid and reliable scales were used to measure acculturative stress, mental health, social support, subjective wellbeing, bicultural integration, and cultural orientation. Inconsistent …

Correlation Between Therapeutic Outcomes And Acculturation For Hispanic Veterans With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Laura H. Hernandez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractHispanic veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have a higher prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than veterans of other ethnicities, and yet little research is devoted to examining this discrepancy. The purpose of this quantitative study, framed by Leininger’s cultural care theory, was to examine self-identified outcomes of three treatment modes and how they correlate with acculturation for Hispanic veterans diagnosed with PTSD at outpatient clinics and community outreach agencies. Independent variables were individual and group behavioral therapy, or a combination of both. Dependent variables of PTSD and well-being scores and level of acculturation were examined …

The Contribution Of Trait Emotional Intelligence To The Relationship Between Childhood Adversity And Pscyhiatric Symptoms In Adulthood, Aura-Maria Morales

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Trait emotional intelligence (TEI) has been found to be an important predictor of and protective factor against psychopathology, including psychopathology in the context of trauma (Hofman et al., 2016; Rudenstine & Espinosa, 2018). The long-established empirical investigation of the relationship between trauma and psychopathology has brought attention to the significance of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Similarly, recent literature has honed in on how important aspects of a person’s development such as their attachment style and the culture within which their development is embedded, can mutually inform their development of TEI. This dissertation is an attempt to derive a greater understanding …

Exploration Of The Link Between Migration And Acculturation Related-Stress, Attachment Style, And Psychological Distress In Arab Immigrants, Refugees, And Asylees, Hayat Nadar Psy.D.

Dissertations

Abstract

The migration process is fraught with experiences of ethnic discrimination and has been linked to heightened levels of psychological and acculturative stress. Interestingly, earlier research revealed a higher prevalence of insecure attachment in migrant compared to non-migrant populations. Attachment style may be influenced by sociocultural and sociopolitical forces and the associated prejudice and discrimination experienced by a particular migrant population. The current study was conducted to explore whether higher levels of sociocultural adversity were associated with increased psychological distress and attachment insecurity and to test attachment as a mediator between sociocultural adversity and psychological distress. Using a cross-sectional design, …

The Role Of Acculturation And Acculturative Stress In The Association Between Generational Status And Factors Related To Suicide Among South Koreans In The United States, Hyejin Jin

Dissertations

Korean Americans have the highest suicide mortality rates among Asian American subgroups (6.84 per 100,000 population; U.S. Census Bureau, 2010). Therefore, it may be important to examine the unique factors that account for the suicide rates of Korean Americans, especially since current knowledge on suicide with Korean Americans is limited. Thus, the present dissertation study sought to examine the role of acculturation and acculturative stress in the association between generational status and factors related to suicide among Korean Americans.

A sample of 150 participants completed a study protocol consisting of various self-report measures on MTurk. The results supported the hypothesis …

Association Between Lifetime Adverse Events, Emotion Dysregulation, Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, Acculturation, And Chronic Pain: A Moderated Mediation Model, Miriam El-Haj

Theses and Dissertations

The association between traumatic experiences and chronic pain is well established. Lesser is known about how acculturation might affect this relation, specifically with Hispanics. In the present study, self-report measures on traumatic experiences, posttraumatic stress symptoms, emotion dysregulation, chronic pain, and acculturation were administered to 140 participants (71.4% females) aged 18–65 years old (M = 35.06, SD = 11.55), to determine whether acculturation moderates the relation between adverse lifetime experiences and chronic pain as mediated by posttraumatic stress symptoms and emotion dysregulation.

Those who were highly acculturated to the U.S. Anglo culture were higher on chronic pain than those who …

Does Ethnic Identity, In-Group Preference, And Acculturation Protect Latinas With A History Of Interpersonal Trauma From Developing Symptoms Of Ptsd?, Evelyn M. Ramirez

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Previous research suggests ethnic identity, a sense of belonging to a particular cultural group, may be protective against symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the role of ethnic identity, in-group preference (i.e., an individual’s preference for interactions with members of their own ethnic group) and acculturation (i.e., the level of comfort with the mainstream culture) have not been investigated as protective factors for Latinas with a history of interpersonal and sexual trauma. In this study, ethnic identity, in-group preference and acculturation were assessed via self-report on the Scale of Ethnic Experience in two samples of undergraduate Latina and non-Latina …

Disordered Eating And Body Dysmorphic Concerns In Asian American Women: Sociocultural And Culture-Specific Predictors, Liya Akoury

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The sociocultural idealization of thinness and Eurocentric features (e.g., lighter skin) is ubiquitous in Westernized cultures, yet only some women internalize these ideals and/or perceive heightened pressures to conform to such ideals. Elevated internalization and perceived pressures to obtain thinness and Eurocentric features may contribute to disordered eating and unique types of body dysmorphic concerns (e.g., dissatisfaction with skin color, eye size/ shape), respectively. Such difficulties may be particularly relevant for ethnic minority women; however, little research exists examining such effects. Further, few studies have comprehensively examined the intersection between sociocultural and culture-specific (e.g., ethnic identity; biculturalism) predictors on disordered …

The Role Of Values Enculturation, Mental Health Stigma, & Attitudes About Treatment On Help-Seeking Intent Among Latinos, Natasha Suhail Najar

Dissertations (1934 -)

The current study examined how attitudes about psychological treatment and stigma toward mental illness influence the relationship between Latino cultural values (i.e., values enculturation) and their intention to seek psychological services. Using a sample of 220 Latino adults, multiple mediation analyses examined if the relationship between enculturation, operationalized as cultural pride and familismo; and intent to seek help from mental health provider was mediated by Latinos’ attitudes about psychological treatment (i.e., stigma tolerance and belief in psychologists’ expertness) and stigma toward mental illness. Further, it was hypothesized that depression would moderate the mediational pathway. The major findings indicated the Latino …

The Relationship Between Health Adherence Behaviors, Level Of Acculturation, Frequency Of Cognitive Distortions, And Psychological Distress In Filipino Americans, Marisa R. Nuñez

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Nonadherence to medical recommendations is a prevalent concern within the U.S health care system, including among many ethnic minority groups, such as Filipino Americans. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between health adherence behaviors, acculturation level, frequency of cognitive distortions, and psychological distress in Filipino Americans. Filipino American participants (N = 121) completed the following measures: the Health Adherence Behavior Inventory, A Short Acculturation Scale for Filipino Americans, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9th edition, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale, and the Inventory of Cognitive Distortions. Results indicated a significant negative relationship between anxiety symptoms and health …

Acculturation And Internalizing Problems Among Latino Youth: A Meta-Analytic Review, Juventino Hernandez Rodriguez

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Some studies have found acculturation to be a positive predictor of internalizing problems (i.e., anxiety and depression) in Latino youth (Gonzales et al., 2002), whereas other studies have revealed no relation or a negative relation between acculturation and internalizing problems (Smokowski, Buchanan, & Bacallao, 2009). Narrative reviews of this literature exist (Gonzales et al., 2002; Gonzales et al., 2009) but a quantitative synthesis of the literature has not been conducted. After a systematic literature search that identified 38 studies meeting inclusionary criteria, a meta-analysis was performed to estimate the size and direction of the relation between acculturation and internalizing problems. …

Examining Latino Family Participation In Treatment For Childhood Adhd: The Role Of Cultural Factors And Perceptions, Theresa Lauer Kapke

Dissertations (1934 -)

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common mental health disorder in childhood, and efficacious treatments have been identified. Unfortunately, ethnic minority individuals, including Latino youth and their families, are at increased risk of failing to receive proper treatment and often exhibit poor treatment outcomes. Various factors likely contribute to these existing disparities. Thus, the current study aimed to improve current understanding of the way in which child characteristics and parental cultural factors and perceptions regarding treatment impact Latino family participation in a psychosocial intervention for childhood ADHD, including attendance, retention, engagement, and treatment response outcomes. Sixty-one Latino families participated in the …

The Acculturation Gap: Investigating The Relationship Between Inter-Partner Acculturation Discrepancy And Parenting Quality, Casiana Warfield

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Parenting and relational factors have been investigated thoroughly in previous literature. However, considering the proliferation of multiracial individuals in the United States, it is concerning that many cultural components of American families have been neglected, including the impact of acculturation on parenting negotiation. In particular, the acculturation gap describes differences in acculturation and enculturation levels between family members. The acculturation-gap-distress model postulates that when members within a family context acculturate at different rates, to different degrees, or in different ways than other members, this discrepancy results in conflict. The present study evaluated the relationship between inter-partner acculturation discrepancy and perceptions …

Risk Of Unintended Pregnancy In Latina Young Adults: The Effect Of Gender Role Beliefs, Acculturation, And Depression, Jessica Block

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study investigated the effect of Latina gender role beliefs, or marianismo beliefs, on risk for unintended pregnancy by examining contraceptive method use in Latina young adults. Acculturation and depression were also examined as moderators of the association between marianismo and contraceptive method choice, as well as separately for their effects on contraceptive use. Unmarried, nulliparous Latina women aged 18-24 (N = 142) were recruited through online social media platforms. Data were collected in the United States in July 2017. Logistic regression analyses were performed to distinguish between women who utilized more effective v. less effective contraceptive methods in the …

Sociocultural Risk Factors For Elevated Perceived Stress Among African American Smokers, Monica Webb Hooper, Noella A. Dietz, Joseph C. Wilson

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Introduction: African Americans experience unique stressors that may inhibit smoking cessation and enhance relapse rates. Few studies, however, have focused on risk factors for perceived stress among treatment seekers. Because African Americans are less likely to quit compared to the larger community, understanding factors associated with perceived stress among smokers has the potential to improve intervention outcomes. This study examined psychosocial and cultural correlates of stress in a sample of African American participants in a randomized controlled trial.

Methods: At baseline, participants reported demographic factors and completed assessments of smoking history, alcohol use, friend and household smoking, weight concerns, acculturation, …

Predictors Of Obesity, Acculturation, And Perceived Stress In Meskhetian Turk (Ahiska) Immigrants In The United States, Zekeriya Temircan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity is a risk factor for chronic diseases among the ethnic minorities for adult immigrants in the United States. There have been many research studies conducted to examine the relationship between the predictors and obesity in minority groups in the United States, that relationship was unknown in Meskhetian Turk (Ahiska) immigrant populations. Guided by social ecological model and acculturation theory, this study examined the predictors of obesity in the Meskhetian Turk (Ahiska) immigrant population in the western United States. Data were collected from 109 participants using CDC's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, Stephenson Multigroup Acculturation Scale, and Perceived Stress Scale. …

Disentangling Universal And Cultural-Specific Risks To Mental Health Among Asian Americans: A Multi-Site Longitudinal Investigation, Pan Priscilla Lui

Open Access Dissertations

Objective: Development-based intergenerational conflict related to separation-individuation is normative and similar across ethnocultural groups. Intergenerational cultural conflict related to acculturation mismatch—where intercultural contact leads parents and offspring to diverge in heritage and mainstream American values and behaviors—is specific to immigrant families. Although development-based conflict does not result in serious psychological distress or behavioral problems among healthy adolescents and emerging adults, acculturation-based conflict has been linked to maladjustment among offspring with immigrant parents in cross-sectional studies. The distinct and potentially mutually influential contributions of these types of conflict have not been evaluated as simultaneous processes unfolding during the developmentally significant transition …

Measures Of Acculturation And Relations To Weight Among Mexican-Origin Youth, Dorothy L. Mcleod

Master's Theses

Risk for obesity increases dramatically for Mexican-origin immigrants and their children among upon arrival in the United States. Many studies have shown that acculturative factors play a role in this process for adults, which suggests that this could also be the case for children and adolescents. The significance and directionality of this relation may differ based on many factors, including the multitude of methods currently used for the purpose of measuring acculturation. This study examines the relations between several measures of acculturation and child weight in a sample of 6 to 11 year old, Mexican-origin youth, cross-sectionally and longitudinally over …

Effects Of Acculturation Gap And Attachment Style On South Asian Adolescent Well-Being, Malliga Delaney Delaney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

South Asian (SA) adolescents experience the added challenges of identity development and coping as a minority population of color in a predominantly White host culture. Adolescent attachment style (AS) with their parents, along with an acculturation gap (AG) with their parents, can either add to or alleviate their struggles. A matched acculturation style and secure AS with their parents were hypothesized to result in higher ethnic identity and adaptive coping. The Brief COPE, Multiethnic Identity Measure, Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment, and the Bicultural Inquiry Questionnaire were used to measure the independent (AG and AS) and dependent variables (identity …

The Role Of Acculturation Differences And Acculturation Conflict In Latino Family Mental Health, Kathryn E. Lawton

Dissertations (1934 -)

>In order to help address the mental health disparities that exist for Latino families in the U.S., the current study sought to examine the acculturation-mental health link within the context of the Latino family and to identify potential mechanisms for intervention to alleviate mental health problems in this population. Specifically, our goal was to examine how parent-adolescent acculturation differences were related to mental health in Latino adolescents and their parents and to understand the role of acculturation conflict and family functioning within the Latino family. Participants included 84 adolescent-parent dyads recruited through bilingual middle schools. We found partial support for …

Latino Youth With Spina Bifida: Psychosocial Functioning, Family Functioning, And Acculturation, Jaclyn M. Lennon

Master's Theses

Objective: Research on Latino youth with spina bifida (SB) is sparse. However, SB rates are highest in this ethnic group, and typically-developing (TD) Latino youth are at risk for poor psychosocial functioning. The aims of this study were to examine: (1) differences in psychosocial and family functioning between Latino and non-Latino Caucasian youth with SB; (2) family functioning as a predictor of youth psychosocial functioning as moderated by ethnicity; (3) the impact of acculturation on youth psychosocial and family functioning in Latino youth with SB. Methods: Participants were recruited as part of a larger, longitudinal study (Devine et al., 2012). …

Examining The Effects Of Communication And Acculturation On Relationship Satisfaction And Postpartum Depressive Symptomatology In Latino Couples, Jessica Andrea Hughes

Masters Theses

The present study builds on prior research that has evaluated the longitudinal association between relationship adjustment and depressive symptoms during pregnancy and the postpartum period by focusing on a group of women at high risk for perinatal depression, in this case, Latinos. Most studies have evaluated the association between relationship functioning and depressive symptoms during the postpartum period. However, depression occurs as frequently during pregnancy as in the postpartum period (Evans et al., 2001) and has been shown to be an important predictor of postpartum depression (Milgrom et al., 2008) in Caucasian samples. Since poor communication has been linked to …

Asian Indian College Students: Relationship Between Parent–Child Communication Difficulties And Internalization, Sheeba P. Thomas

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Children of Asian Indian immigrants in the United States vary in their acculturation from their parents to American culture and society. The U.S.-born second-generation and those who immigrate at an early age may be at risk for emotional and behavioral difficulties. The present study investigated whether certain sociocultural factors related to the negative adjustment of second-generation Asian Indian college students. A survey method measured acculturation, acculturative family distancing, perceived prejudice, and internalization difficulties (i.e., depression, trait anxiety, somatic symptoms, and self-critical perfectionism) of second-generation Asian Indian college students (N = 60), ages 19–25. The sample was primarily Keralite (64.5%) with …

Contemporary Franco Americans: A Study Of Ethnic Identity, Help-Seeking Attitudes, And Values, Jessica L. Mayo

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Given the proximity to Canada, many French Canadians who immigrated to the United States between 1850 and 1950 settled within New England. This immigration resulted in a large population of French Canadian descendants, now considered Franco Americans, within this region. Despite the number of Franco Americans, mental health professionals in New England are offered limited knowledge on conceptualizing and treating this population. To respond to this need, the present study investigated the cultural values, ethnic identity, and professional psychological help-seeking attitudes of contemporary Franco Americans. It was hypothesized that Franco Americans would prioritize values in line with the group’s traditional …

Psychometrically Valid Relationships Between Acculturation And Neuropsychological Factors, Eunice E. Kwon

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Neuropsychological tests play a significant role in detecting brain dysfunction and treatment planning for patients. However, discrepancies in neurocognitive tests among ethnic minorities continue to perplex neuropsychologists and place ethnic minorities at a greater risk for misdiagnoses (Byrd et al., 2006). The aim of this study was to ascertain significant acculturation predictors influencing neuropsychological performance in ethnic minorities, particularly verbally mediated tasks which were known to be more susceptible to discrepancies in acculturation level were examined (Razani et al., 2007). Healthy participants from Hispanic (n = 52), Asian (n = 52), and Middle-Eastern (ME; n = 68) descents between the …