An Exploration Of Adult Children’S Attachment To Their Parents Across Two Cultural Groups: Indians In India And Indians Who Immigrated To The United States, Vilasini Meenakshi Arun

Doctoral Dissertations

Typically, attachment theory has been studied and explored with western populations. Individuals seeking mental health treatment within the United States include western and nonwestern cultural groups and research, theories and interventions that apply to diverse populations are necessary. Attachment relationships are often a part of, or reasons for clients to seek therapy either overtly or covertly, thus allowing research on attachment to better inform treatment plans and practice. An attachment relationship between a parent and child can be influenced by several factors and may change over the course of development, but little is known about this process among Indians …

Combating Trauma And The Immigrant Paradox In Schools, Emma Bergman

Honors Projects

Over time, research on immigrant populations has revealed a trend known as the immigrant paradox in which, the further generations get from the generation of immigration, the poorer their outcomes are in areas such as mental health, delinquency, substance abuse, and education. Though a definitive explanation for this trend has yet to be identified, prevailing theories include several social, familial, and community-based factors such as the impacts of bilingualism, parental expectations, biculturalism, co-ethnic peers, quality of schools, and community support. Little attention has been paid to individual factors such as mental health and trauma. The present study proposes the transgenerational …

Analyzing The Mental Health Realities Among Daca Recipients Within The Mexican Community, Oscar Javier Gonzalez

CMC Senior Theses

Immigration to the United States, particularly from Mexico, has resulted in a significant population of undocumented individuals residing in the nation. Among them are those who arrived in the U.S. as children, with some eligible for protection under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, offering temporary relief from deportation and government benefits. This thesis analyzes the historical context of immigration and the DACA program, focusing on the often-overlooked experiences and mental health realities encountered by Mexican DACA recipients. These experiences encompass the pursuit of the American Dream, deportation fears, family separation, challenges in accessing government services, navigating the …

Psychological Effects Of Immigration: A Comprehensive Review Exploring Social Identity, Acculturation And The Effects Of Cultural Attitudes And Systemic Factors On The Well-Being Of Immigrants, Huda Abu Nasab

Honors Theses

Immigration is a life-altering experience that can greatly affect an individual's identity, sense of belongingness, and well-being. The United States is known as a nation of immigrants; however, many immigrants have faced challenges related to assimilation and the development of their social identities in a new society. For example, immigration challenges often include adapting to a new culture, learning a different language, and navigating unfamiliar healthcare and educational systems. There are many factors that influence how immigrants adjust in their host country, such as acculturation challenges, cultural attitudes towards immigrants, and the availability of essential resources. This literature review aims …

If You Don’T Live By The Sea, You Won’T Talk About Sailing: An Interpretative Phenomenological Approach Of The Polish Immigrant Experience In Chicago And The Acculturation Of Racial Beliefs, Monica Zabinski

Dissertations

There has been a steady increase in research and focus on defining and understanding racism and the role it plays in the ongoing inequality and inequity between individuals of White descent and individuals who are Black, indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC). However, little research has focused on what changes with racial beliefs when individuals immigrate between various countries where racism, discrimination, and racial beliefs may appear differently. Our objective was to increase our understanding of how the acculturation process may impact or change racial beliefs over time. Our research sought participants of Polish descent in the Chicagoland area and …

The Influences Of Acculturative Stress And Gender Roles On Sexual Subjectivity In European, Asian, And Latinx Immigrant Women In The U.S., Silvia Re

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

In the process of acculturation, cisgender immigrant women are at greater risk of experiencing acculturative stress, often entailing a reconsideration of their self-concepts and identities as members of new sociocultural contexts. Gender roles and sexual subjectivity are two identity features they can revise given their ties to culture and socialization. Results from previous studies suggest that cisgender immigrant women’s sociocultural contexts, related values, and attitudes may contribute to their levels of stress, sense of self-efficacy, self-esteem, and sexual subjectivity. This study aimed to fill gaps in the existing literature and raised awareness of the relationship between acculturative stress, gender role …

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 …

Economics Or Culture? Measuring Economic Thinking And Cultural Enrichment Beliefs About Immigration., Paolo Aldrin Palma

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The present work attempts to distinguish people’s economic concerns about immigration from their (anti-)diversity attitudes, and examines how these economic concerns influence attitudes towards immigrants. To do this, we develop a scale to assess economic thinking and cultural enrichment beliefs about immigration (ETI/CBI). Economic thinking was associated with personality and ideological traits related to viewing the world as competitive and anti-diversity attitudes. Cultural enrichment beliefs on the other hand, were associated with traits associated with a preference for equity and pro-diversity orientations. Furthermore, economic thinking was associated with greater preferences to reduce immigration for all migrant groups except economic migrants, …

Anti-Immigration-Related Stressors And Latine Immigrant Well-Being: The Role Of Family & Community Resilience, Lisa S. Fuentes

Theses and Dissertations

Anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies have continued to adversely impact Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protection Status (TPS) beneficiaries (Arevalo et al., 2015; Cleary, 2017; Li, 2015; Sangalang et al., 2018). There have been numerous attempts to revoke DACA, TPS, and other policies that temporarily protect immigrant families. Although the number of resilience literature has grown, more strength-based approaches are still needed. Additionally, given that familismo (familism) and collectivism are key cultural values for Latine families (Campos et al., 2019; Corona et al., 2017), it is imperative to explore family and community resilience among Latine immigrants to gain …

Immigrant Therapists’ Perceptions Of Transference, Countertransference, And Racial Experiences In The United States, Lian Malki-Schubert

Dissertations and Theses

There has been a steady increase in the percentage of immigrant therapists in the US. In psychology doctoral programs, the number of foreign-born students has doubled between 1997 and 2016. The present study aimed to examine the perceived impact of therapists’ immigrant identity when working with US-born and foreign-born clients, as little research has been dedicated to this topic. Another central theme this study sought to explore was immigrant therapists’ perspective shifts on racial identity upon arriving in the US. Given that race is a social construct that is culturally bound, the study investigated immigrant therapists’ perceptions of racial identity …

Immigrant Risk, Self-Discontinuity, And The Role Of Nostalgia, Leila Talhouk

Dissertations and Theses

Background: There are conflicting theories and data about immigrants’ health in the host country (e.g., immigrant risk vs. paradox), which have encouraged researchers to examine more nuanced factors related to immigration to clarify these inconsistencies. This two-part study aimed to shed light on these discrepancies by investigating psychoanalytic concepts that have not yet been empirically tested. The study focuses on immigrant self-discontinuity, a migration- induced disruption in one’s sense of self-sameness and unconscious sense of going-on-being, manifesting in moments of disorientation, disorganization, or dissociative-like experiences. There is no adequate instrument to measure this construct; as such, Part 1 of the …

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 …

Impact Of Immigration Parent-Child Separation Policies On Children’S Attachment Experiences, Daisy Casasnovas

Dissertations

This critical literature review (CRP) project explores the consequences of child-parent separation by deportation laws. Considering the number of Latinx immigrant families immigrating to the United States, this review focused on how the unexpected separation by deportation impacted immigrant families and how these separations affect their children’s development, attachment style, and overall well-being. The review explored the short- and long-term consequences for immigrant children and their families, including children who are U.S.-born and remain in the country without their parents. Results from the review indicate an extensive and significant impact on attachment style and overall developmental impairments. The unexpected separation …

Value Dimensions Influence Perceptions Towards Immigrants, Prachi Pathak

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Abstract

Researchers have turned to human values as predictors for people’s attitudes toward immigrants. Value- based studies may be effective in producing attitudinal and behavioral changes toward immigrants, as people can be receptive to universal values. The current study compared differences between human values (e.g., benevolence, universalism, power, and achievement) on people’s perceptions toward immigrants. A total sample of 250 participants was collected for the current study. Each participant was randomly assigned to one group (control group, universalism value prime, benevolence value prime, power value prime, or achievement value prime). All participants were given a demographics questionnaire, followed by a …

Valor: Cultural Considerations When Assessing Central American Immigrant Women In Behavioral Health Settings, Michelle Silva, Melanie M. Domenech Rodriguez, Luz M. Garcini, Alfonso Mercado, German Cadenas, Amanda Venta, Manuel Paris

Psychological Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

The topic of immigration is timely yet polarizing. By definition, to be an immigrant implies being in a state of transition and transformation. The eventual outcome is likely to be influenced by a series of contextual factors starting in the country of origin, continuing during the migration journey, and culminating in receiving communities. The authors use a fictional case example of a Central American immigrant woman to illustrate VALOR, the Spanish word for courage, as an acronym that identifies five key areas for clinical consideration in behavioral health settings: Values, Arrival in the United States, Losses, O …

Why Does Equality Matter Anyway? How Indifference To Inequality Relates To U.S.-Born White, Latino, And Black Americans' Attitudes Toward Immigration Policy, Trisha A. Dehrone

Masters Theses

Research on attitudes towards immigration policies typically considers the economic and cultural threats that compel many Americans to favor exclusionary policies that curb immigration. Less is understood about how indifference to inequality shapes Americans’ attitudes towards immigration policies—that is, how ‘not caring’ about the unequal conditions faced by immigrants likely has detrimental consequences for their safety and wellbeing. The present research examines indifference to inequality as a predictor for policies that impact opportunities for immigrants to come to the U.S., and who are otherwise undocumented and/or at great risk for exploitation. Using survey data from the American National Election Studies …

Voces: Experiences Of Undocumented Latines, José Manuel González Vera

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to learn about the challenges that this community faced before the pandemic and how they coped through those challenges. To answer this question, I examined transcripts from group interviews collected in the state of Texas. In total, there were 67 participants, many of whom were undocumented (n = 49) while the others had a relative or friend who was undocumented. Data were analyzed by looking for common patterns and themes in the transcripts, and guided by Critical Race Theory, Latine Critical Theory, and Undocumented Critical Theory. Results suggest that psychological distress is common …

The Mother Of Exiles Is Abandoning Her Children: The Systemic Failure To Protect Unaccompanied Minors Arriving At Our Borders, Rosa M. Peterson

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

Unaccompanied minors arrive at the United States border every day. Many brought by the hope of finding a life lived without fear, a luxury many United States citizens take for granted. Their truths become the barriers and shackles which keep them in detention centers and unaccompanied minor facilities throughout the United States; children find their very words wielded as weapons against them in immigration court. Words often spoken to therapists in perceived confidence, during counseling sessions. This practice is a systemic failure to protect unaccompanied minors arriving at our borders who are seeking protection and help. The United States …

Applying Dialectical Behavior Therapy To Latinx Youth Experiencing Deportation Stress: A Critical Literature Review And Culturally Congruent Application, Desiree Curcio

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Deportation policies from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have harmful effects on the mental health of immigrant families in the US. These effects can be experienced at multiple points such as living in fear of deportation, undergoing ICE raids, becoming detained, or being deported. The children that witness these experiences of deportation within their families are impacted substantially. Some of the psychological effects of having a parent deported or detained can include internalizing and externalizing problems, attention difficulties, emotional and behavioral changes, interpersonal conflict, and feeling like a burden. While the impacts of deportation on youth are highlighted in the …

“I Am More Than My Country Of Origin”: An Arts-Based Engagement Ethnography With Racialized Newcomer Women In Canada, Danielle J. Smith, Amy Green, Sarah Nutter, Anusha Kassan, Monica Sesma-Vazquez, Nancy Arthur Prof, Shelly Russell-Mayhew

The Qualitative Report

Many women immigrate with the hope that they will gain new opportunities for themselves and their families, however, they often face significant challenges due to the intersectional stigmas related to their gender, immigration status, and other aspects of their social location. In this study, we sought to understand the holistic experience of racialized newcomer women to better support their integration process. Using Arts-Based Engagement Ethnography (ABEE), we employed the use of cultural probes and qualitative interviews to gain an in-depth understanding of the experience of ten newcomer women. An ethnographic analysis of this data yielded four overarching structures which include …

Emerging Adult College Students' Perceptions Of Immigrants: A Multisite Experimental Study, Alexa Dee Barton

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The United States (U.S.) has consistently had the largest populations of immigrants worldwide over the last two centuries, contributing to immigration’s ongoing importance as a political, social, economic, and health topic. A central point of focus has been attitudes toward immigration, which prior research has noted is influenced by both individual level and sociopolitical contextual factors. However, few studies have examined these attitudes comparatively across differing immigrant populations (e.g. nation of origin, type of immigration). Nor has the influence of perceivers’ stage of identity and social development been considered (e.g. emerging adult, generation of immigration, civic values). Utilizing quantitative methods, …

The Relevance Of Ethnic Identity Among Asian American Populations To Support For The Black Lives Matter Movement, Jenna Navaratnam

Undergraduate Distinction Papers

This study examined the association between ethnic identity and support for the Black Lives Matter Movement among Asian Americans. A total of 112 Asian American participants completed measures of ethnic identity, political ideology, and support for the Black Lives Matter Movement. Statistical analyses showed moderate levels of ethnic identity among the Asian American populations sampled. Also, participants’ level of ethnic identity was not significantly related to support for the Black Lives Matter Movement. Still, results of this exploratory investigation magnified the complex role immigration history and experience, region of the country resided in, and acculturation strategies may collectively play in …

Bicultural Identity And Academic Achievement: The Second-Generation Immigrant Student Experience, Karimeh Haddad

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

By comparing the academic success and internal processes of immigrant groups, this study aimed to explore the impact of immigration status (first, second, and third-generation) and cultural backgrounds on academic achievement on a holistic level. By measuring acculturation, parental expectations, self-efficacy, goal adjustment, motivation, control beliefs, and vocabulary knowledge of university students, the combination of constructs best correlated to academic achievement was studied with determinants of demographics playing a key role. In addition to quantitative analyses, in-depth interviews supplemented the analyses and further gave insight to the backgrounds of the target population, second-generation immigrant students. The results indicated that there …

The Strategically Broken System: A Grounded Theory Study Of The Clinical Implications Of Immigration Law, Policy, And Practice, Kelle Agassiz

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The majority of clinicians do not receive education pertaining to the legal aspects of immigration in their curriculum, training, or continuing education. In addition, the process of navigating the immigration system has been exacerbated in recent years due to rapid policy changes under the Trump administration, which has contributed to a hostile political climate, particularly for immigrants from Central America and Mexico. Using a classic grounded theory research approach, this study explored the relationship between the psychological implications of immigration and the legal challenges that immigrants face today, with a specific focus on immigration from Central America and Mexico. Through …

Cumulative Grief, Xuan Pham

Masters Theses

A written thesis to accompany the M.F.A. Exhibition Cumulative Grief, in which the artist's personal and familial narrative explores the complexity and nuances of racial grief.

It Is Time To Get Back To Basics On The Border, Donna Coltharp

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

Abstract forthcoming.

Legislation, Linguistics, And Location: Exploring Attitudes On Unauthorized Immigration, David A. Caicedo, Vivienne Badaan

Publications and Research

Contemporary discourse on domestic immigration policy varies widely based on political affiliation, linguistics, and regional differences. This experimental study aimed to concurrently investigate three social psychological bases of attitudes towards unauthorized immigrants in the United States: political ideology, social labels, and social context. Participants were 744 adults, recruited from “New York Community College” (“NYCC”/urban) and “New Jersey Community College” (“NJCC”/suburban), who were randomly assigned to one of two experimental conditions: “illegal” vs. “undocumented”. Participants completed a scale measuring their attitudes towards unauthorized immigrants with the embedded label manipulation, followed by the General System Justification scale, and culminating with demographic items. …

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, …

A Tale Of Two Crises: The Compounded Effect Of Covid-19 And Anti-Immigration Policy In The United States, Luz M. Garcini, Melanie M. Domenech Rodriguez, Alfonso Mercado, Manuel Paris

Psychological Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

The COVID-19 pandemic is highlighting some important sources of health disparities that assail our society’s most vulnerable people, particularly undocumented immigrants and asylum seekers. The focus of this commentary is on uncovering those sources of health disparities and making a call for action.

The Nigerian-American Immigration Experience: Overcoming Adversity Through Resilence., K. Chinwe Idigo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nigerian-Americans are a fast-growing population in the United States, when compared to other immigrant groups. Despite growing numbers there is limited empirical research examining pathways that facilitate success among this immigrant population. This study addresses the dearth in literature by proposing and testing a modified ABCX model of family resilience among Nigerian-Americans. It is hypothesized that similar to other immigrant, and racial/ethnic minority groups in the United States, NigerianAmericans employ protective factors such as ethnic identity and resilience to buffer the effects of acculturative stress and perceived discrimination on well-being and psychological distress. Regression analyses suggest some consistency with the …