Abstract
Refugees are vulnerable populations who experience premigration traumatic events and postmigration acculturation stress. While research on immigrant mental health issues has been plentiful, there has been a clear lacuna of scholarly investigation into the acculturation experiences of Syrian emerging adults, particularly as it relates to the types and dynamics of acculturation behaviors. Acculturation is a factor that predicts emerging adults’ academic and occupational success and their interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships. This qualitative investigation was conducted within the framework of interpretative phenomenology, which allows for meaningful, organic exploration and description of participants’ stories. Data were collected from 12 emerging adult Syrian refugees who were at least 18 years of age. Interpretative Phenomenology Analysis (IPA) was used as a theoretical framework to understand and analyze the data collected. This research found out that their acculturation behavior appears to be described better as “dynamic”. The most ubiquitous dynamic acculturation behavior was characterized by constant progress and effective change, promoting positive personality growth among refugees and immigrants. Dynamic acculturation provides a broader set of strategies utilized by an individual.
Keywords: Dynamic Acculturation; Acculturation; Trauma; Resilience; Refugees; Interpretative Phenomenology Analysis (IPA)
References
- International Organization for Migration. Migration facts and figures [Fact sheet]. Retrieved from The International Organization for Migration website (2015).
- The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Figures at a glance. The United Nation Statistical Yearbook (2018).
- Felter C and McBride J. “How does the U.S. refugee system work?” Council on Foreign Relations (2018).
- Connor P. “Most displaced Syrian are in the Middle East, and about a million are in Europe”. The Pew Research Center (2018).
- The US Census Bureau, (2015).
- Hernandez DJ. “Resources, challenges and strengths for children in immigrant families in eight affluent countries”. In AS Masten, K Liebkind and D Hernandez (Authors), Realizing the potential of immigrant youth (2012): 17-40.
- National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. “The economic and fiscal consequences of immigration’. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press (2017).
- Jordan M. “The town that can't do without refugees”. The Wall Street (2017).
- Zong J. “Profile of Syrian immigrants in the United States”. The Migration Policy Institute (2015).
- The PennLive. Refugees in PA: Where they come from, and why they come (2017).
- Salah AA., et al. “Data for refugees: The D4R challenge on mobility of Syrian refugees in Turkey” (2018).
- Javanbakht A., et al. “Mental health in Syrian refugee children resettling in the United States: War trauma, migration, and the role of parental stress”. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 57.3 (2018): 209-211.
- Berry JW and Sam DL. “The Cambridge handbook of acculturation psychology (2nd ed.)”. Cambridge University Press (2016).
- Berry JW. “Human ecology and cognitive style: Comparative studies in cultural and psychological adaptation”. New York, NY: Sage/Halsted (1976).
- Berry JW and Sam D. “Acculturation and adaptation. handbook of cross-cultural psychology”. Boston: Allyn and Bacon (1997).
- Phinney J. “Ethnic identity and acculturation”. Paper Presented at the International Conference on Acculturation (1998).
- Williams CL and Berry JW. “Primary prevention of acculturative stress among refugees: Application of psychological theory and practice”. American Psychologist Association 46 (1991): 632-641.
- Yoon E., et al. “Content analysis of acculturation research in counseling and counseling psychology: A 22-year review”. Journal of Counseling Psychology 58.1 (2011): 83-96.
- Hwang, W., et al. “Age of first onset major depression in Chinese-Americans”. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology 11.1 (2005): 16-27.
- Hans N. “The role of ethnic identity and acculturation in determining acculturative stress in Asian Indians”. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Pacific Graduate School of Psychology (2001).
- Bartlett L., et al. “Culture in acculturation: Refugee youth's schooling experiences in international schools in New York City”. International Journal of Intercultural Relations 60 (2017): 109-119.
- Buchanan ZE., et al. “The interconnection between acculturation and subjective and social wellbeing among refugee youth in Australia”. Journal of Refugee Studies 30.4 (2017): 511-529.
- Li Y and Guo Y. “The relationship between acculturation and psychological well-being among adolescents of Asian origin”. International Journal of Social Science Studies 6.4 (2018).
- Tozer M., et al. “Protective factors contributing to wellbeing among refugee youth in Australia”. Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools 28.1 (2018): 66-83.
- Chisholm L and Hurrelmann K. “Adolescence in modern Europe: Pluralized transition patterns and their implications for personal and social risks”. Journal of Adolescence 18 (1995): 129-158.
- Erikson E. “Identity: Youth and crisis”. New York: Norton (1968).
- Berry JW., et al. “Immigrant youth: Acculturation, identity, and adaptation”. Applied Psychology 55 (2006): 303-332.
- Reitz AK., et al. “Mastering developmental transitions in immigrant adolescents: The longitudinal interplay of family functioning, developmental and acculturative tasks”. Developmental Psychology 50 (2014): 754-765.
- Strohmeier D and Schmitt-Rodermund E. “Immigrant youth in European countries: The manifold challenges of adaptation”. European Journal of Developmental Psychology 5 (2008): 129-137.
- Sinacore AL., et al. “Falling through the cracks: Academic and career challenges faced by immigrant graduate students”. Canadian Journal of Counseling and Psychotherapy 45 (2011): 168-187.
- Gitlin A., et al. “The production of margin and center: Welcoming-Unwelcoming of immigrant students”. American Educational Research Journal 40 (2003): 91-122.
- Schweitzer R., et al. “Trauma, post migration living difficulties, and social support as predictors of psychological adjustment in resettled Sudanese refugees”. The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychology 40.2 (2006): 179-187.
- Fazel M., et al. “Prevalence of serious mental disorder in 7000 refugees resettled in western countries: a systematic review”. Lancet (2005): 1309-1314.
- Schweitzer R., et al. “Mental health of newly arrived Burmese refugees in Australia: Contribution of pre-migration and post-migration experience”. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 45 (2011): 299-307.
- Watenpaug KD and Fricke AL. “Uncounted and unacknowledged: Syrian refugee students and academic in Jordan”. (2013).
- Dorman S. “Educational needs assessment for urban Syrian refugees in Turkey”. Alnap (2014).
- Harvey C., et al. “Shifting Sands: Changing gender roles among refugees in Lebanon” (2013).
- Karipek YZ. “Asylum-seekers experience and acculturation: A study of Syrian- university students in Turkey”. Turkish Journal of Middle Eastern Studies (2017): 105-133.
- Orosa FJ., et al. “Belief systems as coping factors in traumatized refugees: A prospective study”. The Journal of Traumatology 17 (2011): 1-7.
- Alzoubi FA., et al. “Coping strategies used by Syrian refugees in Jordan”. Clinical Nursing Research (2017): 1-26.
- Dona G and Berry JW. “Acculturation attitudes and acculturative stress of central American refugees”. International Journal of Psychology 29.1 (1994): 57-70.
- Yako RM and Biswas B. “We came to this country for the future of our children, we have no future”: Acculturative stress among Iraqi refugees in the United States”. International Journal of Intercultural Relations 38 (2014): 133-141.
- Celenk O and Van de Vijver F. “Assessment of acculturation: Issues and overview of measures”. International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology 8.1 (2011).
- Darvishpour M. “Immigrant women challenge the role of men: How the changing power relationship within Iranian families in Sweden intensifies family conflicts after, immigration”. Journal of Comparative Studies 33 (2002): 271-296.
- Khawaja N and Milner K. “Acculturation stress in South Sudanese refugees: Impact on marital relationship”. International Journal of Intercultural Relations 36.5 (2012): 624-636.
- Lewing K., et al. “The working with refugee families project”. Australian Center for Child Protect (2009).
- Nilsson JE., et al. “Acculturation partner violence, and psychological distress in refugee women from Somalia”. Journal of Interpersonal Violence 23 (2008): 1654-1663.
- Creswell JW. “Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches”. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage (2009).
- Marshall C and Rossman G. “Designing qualitative research (6th ed.)”. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage (2016).
- Smith JA. “Towards reflexive practice: Engaging participants as co‐researchers or co‐analysts in psychological inquiry”. Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology 4.4 (1994): 253-260.
- Smith JA and Eatough V. “Interpretative phenomenological analysis”. In GM Breakwell, S Hammond, C Fife-Schaw and JA Smith (Authors), Research Methods in Psychology (2006): 322-341.
- Brocki J and Wearden A. “A critical evaluation of the use of interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) in health psychology”. Psychology and Health 21.1 (2006): 87-108.
- Smith JA and Osborn M. “Interpretative phenomenological analysis”. In JA Smith (Author), Qualitative psychology: A practical guide to research methods. London: Sage (2003).
- Jefford E and Sundin D. “Post-structural feminist interpretive interactionism”. Nurse Researcher 21.1 (2013): 14-22.
- Miles J and Gilbert P. “A handbook of research methods for clinical and health psychology”. New York, NY: . Oxford University Press (2005).
- Maxwell JA. “Qualitative research design: An interactive approach”. London: Sage (2012).
- Lincoln YS and Guba EG. “Paradigmatic controversies, contradictions and emerging confluences”. In NK Denzin and YS Lincoln (Authors: Handbook of qualitative research (2000): 163-188.
- Creswell JW. “Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (3rd ed.)”. Los Angele, CA: Sage (2013).
- Vagle M. “Validity as intended: 'bursting forth toward' bridling in phenomenological research”. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education 22.5 (2009): 585-605.
- Robinson O. “Sampling in interview-based qualitative research: A theoretical and practical guide”. Journal Qualitative Research in Psychology 11.1 (2014): 25-41.
- Patton M. “Two decades of developments in qualitative inquiry: A personal, experiential perspective”. Qualitative Social Work 1.3 (2002): 261-283.
Journal Menu
PubMed Indexed Article
EC Pharmacology and Toxicology
LC-UV-MS and MS/MS Characterize Glutathione Reactivity with Different Isomers (2,2' and 2,4' vs. 4,4') of Methylene Diphenyl-Diisocyanate.
PMID: 31143884 [PubMed]
PMCID: PMC6536005
EC Pharmacology and Toxicology
Alzheimer's Pathogenesis, Metal-Mediated Redox Stress, and Potential Nanotheranostics.
PMID: 31565701 [PubMed]
PMCID: PMC6764777
EC Neurology
Differences in Rate of Cognitive Decline and Caregiver Burden between Alzheimer's Disease and Vascular Dementia: a Retrospective Study.
PMID: 27747317 [PubMed]
PMCID: PMC5065347
EC Pharmacology and Toxicology
Will Blockchain Technology Transform Healthcare and Biomedical Sciences?
PMID: 31460519 [PubMed]
PMCID: PMC6711478
EC Pharmacology and Toxicology
Is it a Prime Time for AI-powered Virtual Drug Screening?
PMID: 30215059 [PubMed]
PMCID: PMC6133253
EC Psychology and Psychiatry
Analysis of Evidence for the Combination of Pro-dopamine Regulator (KB220PAM) and Naltrexone to Prevent Opioid Use Disorder Relapse.
PMID: 30417173 [PubMed]
PMCID: PMC6226033
EC Anaesthesia
Arrest Under Anesthesia - What was the Culprit? A Case Report.
PMID: 30264037 [PubMed]
PMCID: PMC6155992
EC Orthopaedics
Distraction Implantation. A New Technique in Total Joint Arthroplasty and Direct Skeletal Attachment.
PMID: 30198026 [PubMed]
PMCID: PMC6124505
EC Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine
Prevalence and factors associated with self-reported chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults aged 40-79: the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007-2012.
PMID: 30294723 [PubMed]
PMCID: PMC6169793
EC Dental Science
Important Dental Fiber-Reinforced Composite Molding Compound Breakthroughs
PMID: 29285526 [PubMed]
PMCID: PMC5743211
EC Microbiology
Prevalence of Intestinal Parasites Among HIV Infected and HIV Uninfected Patients Treated at the 1o De Maio Health Centre in Maputo, Mozambique
PMID: 29911204 [PubMed]
PMCID: PMC5999047
EC Microbiology
Macrophages and the Viral Dissemination Super Highway
PMID: 26949751 [PubMed]
PMCID: PMC4774560
EC Microbiology
The Microbiome, Antibiotics, and Health of the Pediatric Population.
PMID: 27390782 [PubMed]
PMCID: PMC4933318
EC Microbiology
Reactive Oxygen Species in HIV Infection
PMID: 28580453 [PubMed]
PMCID: PMC5450819
EC Microbiology
A Review of the CD4 T Cell Contribution to Lung Infection, Inflammation and Repair with a Focus on Wheeze and Asthma in the Pediatric Population
PMID: 26280024 [PubMed]
PMCID: PMC4533840
EC Neurology
Identifying Key Symptoms Differentiating Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome from Multiple Sclerosis
PMID: 28066845 [PubMed]
PMCID: PMC5214344
EC Pharmacology and Toxicology
Paradigm Shift is the Normal State of Pharmacology
PMID: 28936490 [PubMed]
PMCID: PMC5604476
EC Neurology
Examining those Meeting IOM Criteria Versus IOM Plus Fibromyalgia
PMID: 28713879 [PubMed]
PMCID: PMC5510658
EC Neurology
Unilateral Frontosphenoid Craniosynostosis: Case Report and a Review of the Literature
PMID: 28133641 [PubMed]
PMCID: PMC5267489
EC Ophthalmology
OCT-Angiography for Non-Invasive Monitoring of Neuronal and Vascular Structure in Mouse Retina: Implication for Characterization of Retinal Neurovascular Coupling
PMID: 29333536 [PubMed]
PMCID: PMC5766278
EC Neurology
Longer Duration of Downslope Treadmill Walking Induces Depression of H-Reflexes Measured during Standing and Walking.
PMID: 31032493 [PubMed]
PMCID: PMC6483108
EC Microbiology
Onchocerciasis in Mozambique: An Unknown Condition for Health Professionals.
PMID: 30957099 [PubMed]
PMCID: PMC6448571
EC Nutrition
Food Insecurity among Households with and without Podoconiosis in East and West Gojjam, Ethiopia.
PMID: 30101228 [PubMed]
PMCID: PMC6086333
EC Ophthalmology
REVIEW. +2 to +3 D. Reading Glasses to Prevent Myopia.
PMID: 31080964 [PubMed]
PMCID: PMC6508883
EC Gynaecology
Biomechanical Mapping of the Female Pelvic Floor: Uterine Prolapse Versus Normal Conditions.
PMID: 31093608 [PubMed]
PMCID: PMC6513001
EC Dental Science
Fiber-Reinforced Composites: A Breakthrough in Practical Clinical Applications with Advanced Wear Resistance for Dental Materials.
PMID: 31552397 [PubMed]
PMCID: PMC6758937
EC Microbiology
Neurocysticercosis in Child Bearing Women: An Overlooked Condition in Mozambique and a Potentially Missed Diagnosis in Women Presenting with Eclampsia.
PMID: 31681909 [PubMed]
PMCID: PMC6824723
EC Microbiology
Molecular Detection of Leptospira spp. in Rodents Trapped in the Mozambique Island City, Nampula Province, Mozambique.
PMID: 31681910 [PubMed]
PMCID: PMC6824726
EC Neurology
Endoplasmic Reticulum-Mitochondrial Cross-Talk in Neurodegenerative and Eye Diseases.
PMID: 31528859 [PubMed]
PMCID: PMC6746603
EC Psychology and Psychiatry
Can Chronic Consumption of Caffeine by Increasing D2/D3 Receptors Offer Benefit to Carriers of the DRD2 A1 Allele in Cocaine Abuse?
PMID: 31276119 [PubMed]
PMCID: PMC6604646
EC Anaesthesia
Real Time Locating Systems and sustainability of Perioperative Efficiency of Anesthesiologists.
PMID: 31406965 [PubMed]
PMCID: PMC6690616
EC Pharmacology and Toxicology
A Pilot STEM Curriculum Designed to Teach High School Students Concepts in Biochemical Engineering and Pharmacology.
PMID: 31517314 [PubMed]
PMCID: PMC6741290
EC Pharmacology and Toxicology
Toxic Mechanisms Underlying Motor Activity Changes Induced by a Mixture of Lead, Arsenic and Manganese.
PMID: 31633124 [PubMed]
PMCID: PMC6800226
EC Neurology
Research Volunteers' Attitudes Toward Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.
PMID: 29662969 [PubMed]
PMCID: PMC5898812
EC Pharmacology and Toxicology
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Alzheimer's Disease.
PMID: 30215058 [PubMed]
PMCID: PMC6133268
News and Events
January Issue Release
We always feel pleasure to share our updates with you all. Here, notifying you that we have successfully released the January issue of respective journals and can be viewed in the current issue pages.
Submission Deadline for January Issue
Ecronicon delightfully welcomes all the authors around the globe for effective collaboration with an article submission for the January issue of respective journals. Submissions are accepted on/before January 30, 2021.
Certificate of Publication
Ecronicon honors with a "Publication Certificate" to the corresponding author by including the names of co-authors as a token of appreciation for publishing the work with our respective journals.
Best Article of the Issue
Editors of respective journals will always be very much interested in electing one Best Article after each issue release. The authors of the selected article will be honored with a "Best Article of the Issue" certificate.
Certifying for Review
Ecronicon certifies the Editors for their first review done towards the assigned article of the respective journals.
Latest Articles
The latest articles will be updated immediately on the articles in press page of the respective journals.
Immediate Assistance
The prime motto of this team is to clarify all the queries without any delay or hesitation to avoid the inconvenience. For immediate assistance on your queries please don't hesitate to drop an email to editor@ecronicon.uk