Acculturative stress and social support among Korean and Indian immigrant adolescents in the United States.This study examined acculturative ac·cul·tur·a·tion n. 1. The modification of the culture of a group or individual as a result of contact with a different culture. 2. stress and its relationship with social support among Korean and Indian immigrant adolescents. The data were collected from 165 Korean and Indian adolescents using the Acculturation acculturation, culture changes resulting from contact among various societies over time. Contact may have distinct results, such as the borrowing of certain traits by one culture from another, or the relative fusion of separate cultures. Scale for Asian American A·sian A·mer·i·can also A·sian-A·mer·i·can n. A U.S. citizen or resident of Asian descent. See Usage Note at Amerasian. A Adolescents and Social Support Scale. Findings show that respondents In the context of marketing research, a representative sample drawn from a larger population of people from whom information is collected and used to develop or confirm marketing strategy. experience low to moderate level of acculturative stress. Social support activities reduce the level of acculturative stress. Social support from parents is the most important predictive factor in determining the level of acculturative stress. These findings not only contribute to social work education and practice but also increase cultural sensitivity and awareness in working with these populations. Keywords: Acculturative stress, Social support, Korean adolescents, Indian adolescents Introduction Asian Indians and Koreans represent two of the fastest growing immigrant groups in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. . According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. current census data, approximately, 11.7 million Asians live in the U.S. of which 2.2 million are Asian Indians and 1.2 million are Koreans. As these groups become part of the U.S. society, there is a great need to understand how Korean and Indian immigrant families and their children adapt to the U.S. and the problems they encounter in this process. Although most immigrants from both Korea and India adapted to their new environment, several studies show that they also retained their traditional cultural traits, beliefs, values and mores (Dasgupta, 1998; Saran, 1985; Segal, 1991; Sodowsky & Carey, 1987; Hurh & Kim, 1990; Kim, 1997). The process of acculturation or adapting to the new culture was once perceived as the immersion immersion /im·mer·sion/ (i-mer´zhun) 1. the plunging of a body into a liquid. 2. the use of the microscope with the object and object glass both covered with a liquid. of immigrants into the new culture. However, current acculturation models focus on the selective and multidimensional mul·ti·di·men·sion·al adj. Of, relating to, or having several dimensions. mul  ti·di·men nature of the immigrant experience and process. Some
researchers argue that immigrants do not simply shed their old or native
values for new ones, but rather select, shift and modify to adapt to the
new environment (Buriel, 1993; Mendoza, 1989). Despite differing views,
there is general consensus among researchers that acculturation is a
learning process whereby at least some of the cultural patterns of the
host country are adopted (Khairullah & Kairullah, 1999; Choi, 1997;
Kang, 1996). Integration and assimilation AssimilationThe absorption of stock by the public from a new issue. Notes: Underwriters hope to sell all of a new issue to the public. See also: Issuer, Underwriting Assimilation are closely related constructs identified by researchers in the continuum Continuum (pl. -tinua or -tinuums) can refer to:
Berry (bĕrē`), former province, central France. Bourges, the capital, and Châteauroux are the chief towns. (2003), integration is valuing one's own culture while at the same time interacting with the host culture. Assimilation, on the other hand, is giving up one's original culture in favor of upon the side of; favorable to; for the advantage of. See also: favor the host culture. In the process of learning to adapt to the new culture, individuals, families and groups experience substantial stress which researchers label as acculturative stress. The acculturative stress framework has been conceptualized for immigrants (Thomas, 1995) and refugee refugee, one who leaves one's native land either because of expulsion or to escape persecution. The legal problem of accepting refugees is discussed under asylum; this article considers only mass dislocations and the organizations that help refugees. populations (Williams and Berry, 1991). It has also been empirically tested among immigrant populations such as Latinos (Chavez et al., 1997; Gil and Vega, 1996; Hovey and King, 1996), Haitians (Chrispin, 1998), and Asians (Choi, 1997; Kang, 1996; Noh and Avison, 1996; Das, 2002; Farver, Bhadha, and Narrang, 2002; Fuligni, 2001; Ghuman, 1997; Khairullah and Kairulla, 1999) in the United States and in Europe (Sam and Berry, 1995). Results of studies of acculturative stress have varied widely in the level of difficulties found in immigrant groups. Early views were that culture contact and change inevitably led to stress (Berry & Annis, 1974). However, the current view is that the level of stress depends on a number of factors such as acculturation attitudes, phase of acculturation, and cultural pluralism cultural pluralism: see multiculturalism. in the host society (Krishnan & Berry, 1992). Immigrants who feel marginalized and maintain a separation from both their ethnic culture and the host culture tend to be highly stressed. Two major sources of psychological stress experienced by children from immigrant families are pressure from peers to reject their own cultural identity and values in order to assimilate as·sim·i·late v. 1. To consume and incorporate nutrients into the body after digestion. 2. To transform food into living tissue by the process of anabolism. into the mainstream culture and pressure from parents and other adults to conform to Verb 1. conform to - satisfy a condition or restriction; "Does this paper meet the requirements for the degree?" fit, meet coordinate - be co-ordinated; "These activities coordinate well" ethnic/cultural norms and traditions (Chrispin, 1998). Since a substantial number of immigrant children and families experience acculturative stress, it is important that those in the helping professions understand the acculturative process and the stress associated with it. There is clearly a great need for helping professionals to develop culture-specific knowledge and competency COMPETENCY, evidence. The legal fitness or ability of a witness to be heard on the trial of a cause. This term is also applied to written or other evidence which may be legally given on such trial, as, depositions, letters, account-books, and the like. 2. in providing services when working with clients from other cultural contexts. It is, therefore, important to enhance knowledge about the acculturation experiences of the fastest growing immigrant populations such as Korean and Indian immigrants and their children. Within the conceptual framework For the concept in aesthetics and art criticism, see . A conceptual framework is used in research to outline possible courses of action or to present a preferred approach to a system analysis project. of acculturative stress, this study investigates acculturative stress and its correlations with social and family support available to these immigrant adolescents. Research questions related to this problem include: What is the level of acculturative stress and social support among Korean and Indian immigrant adolescents? What is the relationship between acculturative stress and social support? Is there any significant difference between Korean and Indian adolescents on the level of acculturative stress and social support? What is the most significant predictor variable Noun 1. predictor variable - a variable that can be used to predict the value of another variable (as in statistical regression) variable quantity, variable - a quantity that can assume any of a set of values of acculturative stress? Literature Review High levels of acculturative stress were found to be strongly correlated cor·re·late v. cor·re·lat·ed, cor·re·lat·ing, cor·re·lates v.tr. 1. To put or bring into causal, complementary, parallel, or reciprocal relation. 2. with lack of social support. Social support not only alleviated al·le·vi·ate tr.v. al·le·vi·at·ed, al·le·vi·at·ing, al·le·vi·ates To make (pain, for example) more bearable: a drug that alleviates cold symptoms. See Synonyms at relieve. acculturative stress but also moderated stress levels which resulted in less depressive de·pres·sive adj. 1. Tending to depress or lower. 2. Depressing; gloomy. 3. Of or relating to psychological depression. n. A person suffering from psychological depression. symptomatology symptomatology /symp·to·ma·tol·o·gy/ (simp?to-mah-tol´ah-je) 1. the branch of medicine dealing with symptoms. 2. the combined symptoms of a disease. symp·to·ma·tol·o·gy n. (Choi, 1997). Similar findings were echoed in a study by Park (2000) who investigated acculturative stress, parental attachment, self-esteem, social support and psychological adjustment. One of the central findings of the study was the combination of parental care and self-esteem which played a very significant role in psychological adjustment among Korean adolescents in America. Moreover, social support from friends was found to have a significant role in mediating between acculturative stress and depression. Several researchers examined social support systems and protective processes during adolescence adolescence, time of life from onset of puberty to full adulthood. The exact period of adolescence, which varies from person to person, falls approximately between the ages 12 and 20 and encompasses both physiological and psychological changes. (Furukawa, 1995; Garnefski and Diekstra, 1996; Garmezy, 1993; Gore and Eckenrode, 1996; Hoffman, Levy-Shift, and Ushpiz, 1988). In the domain of perceived support, studies have consistently emphasized the role of family support in promoting the psychological well-being psychological well-being Research A nebulous legislative term intended to ensure that certain categories of lab animals, especially primates, don't 'go nuts' as a result of experimental design or conditions of adolescents, reducing problem behavior, and buffering the emotional effects of stress (Gore and Aseltine, 1995; Kang, 1996; Liang and Bogat, 1994). However, the support from social network as a buffer of stress was not supported by Salgado de Snyder's study (1987) on Mexican immigrant women. Most respondents who obtained high scores in social support also demonstrated high acculturative stress and depressive symptomatology. Focusing on acculturation and mental health, Mehta (1998) reported that perception of acceptance and cultural orientation played crucial roles in the mental health of Asian Indians. Furthermore, feeling accepted and being involved with American culture was correlated with better mental health. Clearly, cultural integration seems to have an impact on mental health and studies have shown that Asian Indians prefer integration as the most preferred acculturation style. For example, Krishnan and Berry (1992) found that acculturation stress was positively correlated with separation and marginalization mar·gin·al·ize tr.v. mar·gin·al·ized, mar·gin·al·iz·ing, mar·gin·al·iz·es To relegate or confine to a lower or outer limit or edge, as of social standing. but negatively correlated with integration. Along similar lines, Farver, Narang and Bhadha (2002) reported higher levels of conflicts in families where parents had a separated or marginalized style of acculturation than those parents who had an integrated or assimilated acculturation style. These findings clearly support the promotion of an integrated style of acculturation for Asian immigrants. Acculturation preferences or styles also seem to be related to the academic performance of children. For example, Farver, Bhadha, and Narang (2002) found that adolescents with integrated acculturation style had higher GPAs and higher scores on the self-perception profile than adolescents with separated or marginalized acculturation styles. The influence of acculturation and involvement of fathers among Indian immigrant families has been studied by Jain and Belsky (1997). They found that less acculturated men were less likely to be involved in fathering children while most acculturated fathers were more extensively engaged in fathering. Lending support to the notion that the acculturation process may be selective and multidimensional in nature, this study further revealed that traditional social norms and cultural resources are neither given up nor maintained exclusively. Instead, they are reshaped and redefined for better harmonious functioning of the family. Although various aspects of acculturative stress and social support have been studied, the relationship between social support and acculturative stress among Korean and Indian adolescents has not been adequately explored. Furthermore, graduate programs in social work and other human services may benefit from the outcome of this study in offering courses and exposing students to theoretical and practice models on acculturative stress. This underscores the need for alternative and culture specific practice methodologies. In view of this, the current study examined the acculturative stress experienced by Korean and Indian adolescents and the social support available for them to cope with this stress. Methodology Participants Eighty two Korean immigrant adolescents and eight three Indian immigrant adolescents residing in the U.S. participated in this study. Participants' ages ranged from 10 to 20 years. The selection of this age group was based on the ability to read and understand the questionnaire and the nature of this study. Since the study involved collecting data from adolescents, the entire research protocol was submitted to, and approved by the Human Subjects Review Board at California State University, Bakersfield As of fall 2002, some 7,700 undergraduate and graduate students attended CSUB, at either the main campus in Bakersfield or the satellite campus, Antelope Valley Center in Lancaster, California of Los Angeles County. prior to data collection. Data Collection Participants were selected through convenience sampling of Korean and Indian immigrant adolescents mostly residing in California, Florida, Illinois, and Massachusetts. These were some of the places where Korean and Indian immigrants had established their communities, and researchers had contacts and access to these communities. Questionnaires were distributed and collected in churches and community centers from June to September 2004. The researchers explained the procedures of the survey and how to complete the questionnaires. Each participant and his or her parents were asked to read an informed consent form attached to the cover page of the questionnaire and to fill out the questionnaire if they agreed to participate. After completing the questionnaire, participants were asked to place them in an envelope and return it to the researchers. Measures This study used the Acculturation Scale for Asian American Adolescents (Kang, 1996) for measuring the level of acculturative stress. Items in the scale consisted of examples of stressful situations, which adolescents may experience in daily life. Each respondent In Equity practice, the party who answers a bill or other proceeding in equity. The party against whom an appeal or motion, an application for a court order, is instituted and who is required to answer in order to protect his or her interests. was asked to rate each item on a 0 -3 scale. The numbers from zero to three represented various degrees of stress, with a 0 representing "never stressful", and a 3 representing "very stressful." Forty items were developed by Kang (1996) for his dissertation dis·ser·ta·tion n. A lengthy, formal treatise, especially one written by a candidate for the doctoral degree at a university; a thesis. dissertation Noun 1. and tested on Korean American Korean Americans (Korean: 한국계 미국인, Hanja: 韓國系美國人, hangukgye migugin) are Americans of Korean descent. adolescents. In this study, only the 30 most relevant items with some modifications were selected by researchers as these items were judged to be more applicable to this topic. The modifications were primarily limited to replacing "Korean" and "Indian" in the appropriate places. Kang (1996) reported a reliability coefficient coefficient /co·ef·fi·cient/ (ko?ah-fish´int) 1. an expression of the change or effect produced by variation in certain factors, or of the ratio between two different quantities. 2. of .91. The overall reliability coefficient in this study was .92. While the reliability coefficient for Koreans was .93, the coefficient for Indians was .90. Based on the literature review, the researchers developed an instrument for measuring social support. The researchers identified five sub-areas from which adolescents generally receive social support, namely, support from friends, support from parents, support from religious organizations, support from social organizations, and support from cultural associations. There were a total of 15 items in the five sub-areas with three items in each sub-area. The first question in all five sub-areas asked if they had access to the areas of social support. For example, in the area of support from friends, the first question asked do you have close friends?" Their responses were scored "yes" or "no." The second question in all five sub-areas asked how often they interacted with parents and friends or participate in social organization activities (YMCA YMCA in full Young Men's Christian Association Nonsectarian, nonpolitical Christian lay movement that aims to develop high standards of Christian character among its members. , Boy Scouts Boy Scouts, organization of boys 11 to 17 years old, founded (1907) in Great Britain by Sir Robert (later Lord) Baden-Powell. It was incorporated in 1910 in the United States, where its appearance was connected with earlier organizations—the Sons of Daniel and Girl Scouts Girl Scouts, recreational and service organization founded (1912) in Savannah, Ga., by Mrs. Juliette Gordon Low (1860–1927). It was originally modeled after the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, organizations created in Great Britain by Sir Robert Baden-Powell during , school activities, etc.), religious activities (attending church, temple, mosque mosque (mŏsk), building for worship used by members of the Islamic faith. Muhammad's house in Medina (A.D. 622), with its surrounding courtyard and hall with columns, became the prototype for the mosque where the faithful gathered for prayer. , etc.) and cultural activities (ethnic cultural associations, cultural festive fes·tive adj. 1. Of, relating to, or appropriate for a feast or festival. 2. Merry; joyous: a festive party. , etc.). For example, in the area of support from friends, the second question asked "how often do you interact with your friends?" Their responses were scored on a 5 point scale with 1 representing "never" and 5 representing "very frequently." The third question in all five sub areas asked how they described parents, friends, religious organizations, social organizations, and cultural associations as sources of social support. For example, in the area of support from friends, the third question asked "how do you describe your friendship as a source of social support?" Their responses were scored on a 5 point scale with 1 representing "very little" and 5 representing "very much." The same pattern was repeated in all five sub areas. The reliability coefficient of the social support scale in this study was. (74) Data Analyses The data were analyzed an·a·lyze tr.v. an·a·lyzed, an·a·lyz·ing, an·a·lyz·es 1. To examine methodically by separating into parts and studying their interrelations. 2. Chemistry To make a chemical analysis of. 3. using SPSS A statistical package from SPSS, Inc., Chicago (www.spss.com) that runs on PCs, most mainframes and minis and is used extensively in marketing research. It provides over 50 statistical processes, including regression analysis, correlation and analysis of variance. (Statistical Packages for the Social Sciences) version 11.0. First, the researchers analyzed the demographic characteristics of the sample. Second, analyses of the scales were carried out to answer the research questions. To examine the group differences between Indian and Korean adolescents, t-tests were used. Third, Pearson's Correlation was used to examine the relationship between acculturation stress, social support, and continuous demographic variables such as age and number of siblings siblings npl (formal) → frères et sœurs mpl (de mêmes parents) . Finally, multiple regressions Multiple regression The estimated relationship between a dependent variable and more than one explanatory variable. were conducted to identify the most significant predictor variable of acculturation stress. These statistical analyses were performed to answer the research questions posed in the study. Findings Demographic Characteristics Out of 165 respondents, 49.7% (n=82) were Korean adolescents and 50.3% (n=83) were Indian adolescents. In terms of gender, 51.8% (n=85) were males and 48.2% (n=79) were females. Participants' ages ranged from 10 to 20 years, with a mean age of 14.36 years (SD=2.45). The respondents' siblings ranged from 1 to 7, with a mean number of 1.4 siblings. Number of years residing in the U.S. ranged from 4 months to 20 years, with a mean of 12 years. The vast majority of respondents (88.1%) reported that they spoke English most of the time, with more than 86% rating themselves either "very good" (18.8%) or "excellent" (68.2%) in speaking English fluently flu·ent adj. 1. a. Able to express oneself readily and effortlessly: a fluent speaker; fluent in three languages. b. . Acculturative Stress Mean scores were calculated to ascertain the level of acculturative stress experienced by the adolescent ad·o·les·cent adj. Of, relating to, or undergoing adolescence. n. A young person who has undergone puberty but who has not reached full maturity; a teenager. respondents. The overall rating for each item of acculturation situations ranged from 0 to 2.67, with a mean rating of 0.71 (SD=0.49). Korean adolescents showed a mean rating of 0.78 (SD=0.54) while Indian adolescents had a mean rating of 0.64 (SD=0.41). Among the acculturation situations, the item rated as the most stressful was, "my parents compare me to other teenagers of my age in terms of obedience OBEDIENCE. The performance of a command. 2. Officers who obey the command of their superiors, having jurisdiction of the subject-matter, are not responsible for their acts. , discipline, and manners" (Mean=1.60, SD=1.17). The item rated the 2nd highest was, "people expect me to do well in school because of Asian background" (Mean=1.36, SD=1.17). The 3rd highest item was, "my parents expect me to do what they want without questioning" (Mean=1.32, SD=1.11). On the other hand, the item rated as the least stressful situation was, "I do not know how to act among Korean/Indian people who are "more Korean/Indian" than I (Mean=0.25, SD=0.62). The item rated the 2nd lowest was "I do not speak English as well as some of my non-Asian and Asian peers" (Mean=0.26, SD=0.62). The 3rd lowest was "I sometimes feel as if the U.S. is really not my home" (Mean=0.26, SD=0.59). This study found no significant difference between Korean adolescents and Indian adolescents in the overall level of acculturative stress. There was also no significant difference between male and female adolescents in terms of acculturative stress. Furthermore, acculturation stress did not significantly vary with language they use most of the time. However, item analyses on the Acculturative Stress Scale revealed statistically significant differences in acculturative stress between Korean adolescents and Indian adolescents (see Table 1). Korean adolescents experienced more stress than Indian adolescents in the following situations: "I sometimes feel that I don't really belong anywhere"; "At school and other places outside my home, I am sometimes overlooked because of appearance"; "I often feel that I am different"; "Peers have made fun of me for my Korean/Indian characteristics (e.g., appearance, language), which in turn makes it hard for me to fit in with others." Social Support Mean scores were calculated to explore how the respondents described each item of social support. The overall rating for each item of social support ranged from 0.73 to 3.20, with a mean rating of 2.11 (SD=0.44). Korean adolescents showed a mean rating of 2.08 (SD=0.40) while Indian adolescents presented a mean rating of 2.13 (SD=0.60). The vast majority of respondents reported that they had friends (97.5%), parents (87.3%), or religion (82.2%) for social support to cope with acculturative stress. A smaller proportion of respondents reported that they participated in social organizations (42.0%) or cultural activities (54.8%). Of the 5 sub-areas of social support, the respondents rated friendship as the most important source of social support (Mean=2.67, SD=0.56). Parents were rated as the 2nd most important area of support (Mean=2.52, SD=0.67) followed by their participation in religious activities (Mean=2.24, SD=0.77). The data indicated a statistically significant difference between male and female respondents in terms of social support (t=-3.015, df=154, p<.01). Female respondents (Mean=2.22, SD=0.47) had more social support than male respondents (Mean=2.01, SD=0.39). In particular, female respondents had significantly more social support than male respondents in the areas of support from friends (t=-2.360, df=154, p<.05) and support from participation in social organization activities (t=-2.037, df=154, p<.05). Furthermore, it was found that adolescents who had more siblings were less likely to receive social support than those with fewer siblings (r=-.222, p<.01). Similarly, older adolescents were less likely to receive social support than younger ones (r=-.235, p<.01) (see Table 2). Item analyses on the five areas of social support (see Table 3) indicated the following: 1) Korean respondents were significantly different from Indian respondents in the area of social support from friends (t=2.816, df=150, p<.01). Korean respondents (Mean=2.79, SD=0.53) had more social support from friends than Indian respondents (Mean=2.54, SD=0.58); 2) Korean respondents were significantly different from Indian respondents in the area of social support from participating in organizational activities (t=-2.70, df=154, p<.01). Indian adolescents (Mean=1.71, SD=0.84) had more social support from organizational activities than Korean adolescents (Mean=1.34, SD=0.85); 3) Korean respondents were significantly different from Indian respondents in the area of social support from participation in religious activities (t=3.479, df=142, p<.01). Korean respondents (Mean=2.44, SD=0.67) had more social support from religious activities than Indian respondents (Mean=2.02, SD=0.82); 4) Korean respondents were significantly different from Indian respondents in the area of social support from participation in cultural activities (t=-3.03, df =154, p<.01). Indian respondents (Mean=1.79, SD=0.82) had more social support from cultural activities than Korean respondents (Mean=1.39, SD=0.83). Acculturative Stress and Social Support The relationship between acculturative stress and social support is presented in Table 4. Respondents who scored higher on the items related to acculturative stress were less likely to receive social support (r=-.248, p < .01). In other words Adv. 1. in other words - otherwise stated; "in other words, we are broke" put differently , adolescents who did not have social support were more likely to experience stress in acculturation situations. Furthermore, data analyses on the sub-areas of social support indicated that the level of acculturative stress was negatively correlated with social support from parents (r=-.342, p < .001) and social support from organizational activities (r=-.157, p= .05). Availability of social support from parents and organizational activities serves as a buffer to reduce acculturative stress among the adolescents. A multiple regression analysis was conducted to evaluate how well social support variables and some demographic variables predicted the level of acculturative stress. The predictors were age, years residing in the U.S., number of siblings, English proficiency pro·fi·cien·cy n. pl. pro·fi·cien·cies The state or quality of being proficient; competence. Noun 1. proficiency - the quality of having great facility and competence , and 5 sub-areas of social support (Social Support from Friends; Social Support from Parents; Social Support from Social organizations; Social Support from Religious organizations; and Social Support from Cultural activities). The criterion variable was the level of acculturation stress. The linear combination of the predictor variables was significantly related to acculturative stress, [R.sup.2]=.136, adjusted [R.sup.2]=.080, F (9,140)=2.449, p=.013. The simple multiple correlation coefficient Noun 1. multiple correlation coefficient - an estimate of the combined influence of two or more variables on the observed (dependent) variable statistics - a branch of applied mathematics concerned with the collection and interpretation of quantitative data and the was .37, indicating that approximately 14% in the variance of the criterion variable in the sample can be accounted for by the linear combination of the predictor variables. Among the 9 predictor variables only one variable, social support from parents was found to be a significant predictor in determining acculturative stress (p<.001). Discussion Korean and Indian immigrant families and their children experience several problems associated with the acculturation process. This study examined acculturative stress and its relationship with social support among Korean and Indian adolescents in the immigrant families in the United States. This study found that both Korean and Indian adolescents experienced low to moderate levels of acculturative stress. In many families, the challenge of coping with stress has led to family conflicts particularly between adolescents and their parents. When working with Korean and Indian immigrant families, social work practitioners can promote increased involvement in activities that generate social support, which in turn is shown to reduce acculturative stress. Findings revealed that parents' tendency to compare their adolescents to others of the same age in terms of their obedience, discipline and better manners was the most stressful situations reported by both Indian and Korean adolescents. This was followed by the expectation to do well in school because of their Asian background and the parental expectation to do what parents want unquestioningly. Not only do these families want to instill in·still v. To pour in drop by drop. in stil·la tion n. the values of respect, obedience
and good manners Noun 1. good manners - a courteous mannercourtesy personal manner, manner - a way of acting or behaving niceness, politeness - a courteous manner that respects accepted social usage urbanity - polished courtesy; elegance of manner in their children, but they also want to see their children succeed and realize the American dream American dream also American Dream n. An American ideal of a happy and successful life to which all may aspire: , which brought them here. Interestingly enough, the adolescents feel these situations as quite stressful. Consistent with our expectations, the acculturative stress did not differ significantly between Korean and Indian adolescents. No significant variations were found in terms of stress experienced by these two groups in the acculturative process or the challenges associated with it. Although the overall mean difference is not statistically significant, Korean adolescents seem to have a slightly higher level of acculturative stress than Indian adolescents. Item analyses, however, indicate that acculturative stress experienced by Korean and Indian adolescents is significantly different in certain areas. The mean rank for the item, "I sometimes feel that I don't really belong anywhere" is significantly higher for Korean adolescents than for Indian adolescents. Similar differences were also observed in other items like "I often feel that I am different." These findings clearly indicate that some of the second-generation adolescents have not "felt" fully integrated into the mainstream culture nor have they "felt" connected to the culture of their parents. It is possible that these respondents experience a certain amount of uncertainty about their cultural identity as they feel they do not belong anywhere. The vast majority of both Korean and Indian adolescents draw support from friends, parents and religious organizations. In contrast, only a small segment of the respondents participates in social and cultural activities. Interestingly enough, activities conducted by socio-cultural associations do not seem to interest or involve a majority of the second-generation adolescents. Furthermore, female respondents seem to have more social support than male respondents. This may mean that more female respondents are actively engaged in many more social, religious and cultural activities than male respondents. Such increased involvement in social, cultural and religious activities may lead to an increased level of integration. Gender variations in the involvement of socio-cultural and religious activities as a source of social support found in this study do not conform to the findings of Farver, Bhadha, and Narang (2002). These researchers found that females were more likely to be marginalized (indicating a lack of involvement in either culture) than males who were more likely to be integrated (indicating involvement in socio-cultural activities in both cultures). There is a discrepancy DISCREPANCY. A difference between one thing and another, between one writing and another; a variance. (q.v.) 2. Discrepancies are material and immaterial. in the literature with regard to the relationship between gender and acculturative stress. While some researchers (Chrispin, 1998; Salgado de Snyder, 1987) found a significant relationship between gender and acculturative stress, others (Choi, 1997; Mena et al., 1987) reported no significant relationship. This study also found no significant relationship between gender and acculturative stress. While Korean adolescents receive significantly more support from friends and religious activities, Indian adolescents draw significantly more support from organizational activities (e.g., YMCA, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts) and cultural activities (e.g., Indian associations, cultural festivals). This may suggest that as a group, Korean adolescents have more interactions with friends and get involved in more religious activities. Indian adolescents, on the other hand, may get more involved in cultural and organizational activities that are considered to be the sources of social support. With regard to the relationship between acculturative stress and social support, findings show a negative correlation Noun 1. negative correlation - a correlation in which large values of one variable are associated with small values of the other; the correlation coefficient is between 0 and -1 indirect correlation although the strength of the relationship is relatively weak. This relationship suggests that adolescents from immigrant families who have less social support are likely to experience higher level of acculturation stress than their counterparts. Cleary, social support from a variety of sources weakens the hold of acculturative stress for many adolescents. In our study, social support was conceptualized as involvement in social, cultural, and/or religious activities as well as interactions with parents and friends. These factors clearly indicate greater connection and affiliation to the socio-cultural fabric of the American culture and such affiliations with the dominant society are more likely to reduce acculturative stress according to several studies (Mehta, 1998; Berry & Annis, 1974). Results from the linear regression Linear regression A statistical technique for fitting a straight line to a set of data points. analysis identified one significant predictor variable in determining the level of acculturative stress, namely, social support from parents. This finding underscores the importance of stability in immigrant families that may sometime be the sole support for adolescent children in coping with the stress resulting from the acculturation process. However, one of the most stressful items reported by the adolescents is their parents' tendency to compare adolescents' behavior patterns and school performance with others. This seems that family is both a source of social support and acculturative stress and thus parents probably play a contradictory role. This result is also consistent with findings from previous studies which identified the role of family support in promoting the psychological well-being of adolescents, reducing problem behavior and buffering the emotional effects of stress (Gore & Aseltine, 1995; Kang, 1996 and Liang & Bogat, 1994; Choi, 1997). Perhaps family based intervention A procedure used in a lawsuit by which the court allows a third person who was not originally a party to the suit to become a party, by joining with either the plaintiff or the defendant. may be more effective when working with Indian and Korean adolescents. Although the findings of this study add to the existing literature, there are several limitations that need to be considered. The study employed a convenience sample of Korean and Indian adolescents residing currently in the U.S. Such a sampling method does not assure adequate representativeness of the population, which in turn will limit generalization gen·er·al·i·za·tion n. 1. The act or an instance of generalizing. 2. A principle, a statement, or an idea having general application. beyond the study population. Since samples were selected from churches and community centers, it is possible that their responses may be biased as these places may attract adolescents who tend to be socially integrated and psychologically adaptable a·dapt·a·ble adj. Capable of adapting or of being adapted. a·dapt a·bil . Furthermore, our
sample size was relatively small, and was primarily limited to Korean
and Indian adolescents born in the U.S. and considered to be
"second generation." The study did not include the experience
of "first generation" immigrants, who may have experienced
greater level of stress associated with acculturation. Acculturative
stress and the utilization of social support may vary widely across
generations; therefore future research should be conducted with larger
samples involving both first and second generations. Another concern is
that the data for this study are collected from several places where
Korean and Indian communities have populated pop·u·late tr.v. pop·u·lat·ed, pop·u·lat·ing, pop·u·lates 1. To supply with inhabitants, as by colonization; people. 2. . Our findings, to some extent, may be a reflection of geographical variations any variation of a species which is dependent on climate or other geographical conditions. See also: Geographic since these locations vary considerably in terms of ethnic compositions, diversity, and population size. Because this study was conducted among Korean and Indian immigrants, it did not capture the opinions of other Asian population groups like the Chinese and Filipino. These factors serve as external threats to the generalizability of the study's findings to other Asian populations. Additionally, social support scale used in this study is not a standardized standardized pertaining to data that have been submitted to standardization procedures. standardized morbidity rate see morbidity rate. standardized mortality rate see mortality rate. instrument. In conclusion, the current study and its findings reiterate re·it·er·ate tr.v. re·it·er·at·ed, re·it·er·at·ing, re·it·er·ates To say or do again or repeatedly. See Synonyms at repeat. re·it the importance of social support in reducing acculturative stress experienced by adolescents from Korean and Indian immigrant families. These adolescent respondents experience a low to moderate level of acculturative stress. Their involvement in activities that promote social support reduces the level of stress associated with the acculturation process. Social support from parents is the most important predictive factor in determining the level of acculturative stress. These findings not only contribute to social work education and practice but also increase cultural sensitivity and awareness in working with these populations. This study will add to the increasing body of social work literature that highlights the importance of culture-specific service needs of the Asian populations. References Berry, J. W. (2003). Conceptual approaches to acculturation. In K. M. Chun, P. B. Organista, & G. Marin (Eds.), Acculturation: Advances in theory, measurement, and applied research (pp. 17-37). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association The American Psychological Association (APA) is a professional organization representing psychology in the US. Description and history The association has around 150,000 members and an annual budget of around $70m. . Berry, J. W., & Annis, R. C. (1974). Acculturative stress: The role of ecology ecology, study of the relationships of organisms to their physical environment and to one another. The study of an individual organism or a single species is termed autecology; the study of groups of organisms is called synecology. , culture, and differentiation. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology The references in this article would be clearer with a different and/or consistent style of citation, footnoting or external linking. Cross-cultural psychology , 5, 328-406. Buriel, R. (1993). Childrearing orientations in Mexican American Mexican American n. A U.S. citizen or resident of Mexican descent. Mex i·can-A·mer families: The influence of generation and sociocultural so·ci·o·cul·tur·al adj. Of or involving both social and cultural factors. so ci·o·cul factors. Journal
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Table 1. Differences between Korean adolescents and
Indian adolescents in the level of acculturative stress
Mann-
Items N Mean Whitney Sig.
Rank U
I sometimes feel that
I don't really belong
anywhere.
Korean 82 88.05 2332 .003 **
Indian 83 69.10
At school and other
places outside my
home, I am sometimes
overlooked because of
appearance.
Korean 82 86.57 2454 .011 *
Indian 83 70.72
I often feel that I am
"different."
Korean 82 86.70 2443 .012 *
Indian 83 70.58
Peers have made fun
of me for my Korean/
Indian characteristics
(e.g. appearance,
language), which in
turn make hard for me
to fit in with others.
Korean 82 85.34 2555 .040 *
Indian 83 72.07
* Difference is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed)
** Difference is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed)
Table 2. Correlations between social support
and selected demographic variables
Variables r Sig.
Age -.235 .003 *
Number of siblings -.223 .006 *
Years in the U.S. -.128 .115
English fluency .073 .366
* Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed)
Table 3. Group Differences in the sub areas of
social support between Korean adolescents and
Indian adolescents
Items N Mean SD
Social support from
friends
Korean 82 2.79 0.53
Indian 83 2.54 0.58
Social support from
parents
Korean 82 7.35 1.71
Indian 83 7.77 2.29
Social support from
participating in
organizational
activities
Korean 82 1.34 0.85
Indian 83 1.70 0.83
Social support from
participating
religious activities
Korean 82 2.44 0.67
Indian 83 2.02 0.82
Social support from
participating
cultural activities
Korean 82 1.39 0.83
Indian 83 1.79 0.82
Items t Sig.
Social support from
friends
Korean 2.816 .006 *
Indian
Social support from
parents
Korean -1.303 0.195
Indian
Social support from
participating in
organizational
activities
Korean -2.70 .008 *
Indian
Social support from
participating
religious activities
Korean 3.48 .001 *
Indian
Social support from
participating
cultural activities
Korean -3.03 .003 *
Indian
* Difference is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed)
Table 4. Correlations between Acculturative
Stress and Social Support
Variables r Sig.
Overall social support -.248 .002 **
Social support from friends .005 .955
Social support from parents -.342 .000 ***
Social support from -.157 .050 *
organizational activities
Social support from -.117 .145
religious activities
Social support from -.113 .159
cultural activities
* Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed)
** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed)
*** Correlation is significant at the 0.001 level (2-tailed)
Table 5. Multiple Regression results on
predictors of acculturative stress
Variable B SE B T Sig.
Social support
from friends 1.106 .768 .124 1.441 .152
Social support
from parents -2.488 .667 -.332 -3.731 .000
Social support
from organizations -.208 .498 -.036 -.417 .678
Social support from
religious activities -.161 .529 -.025 -.305 .762
Social support from
cultural activities -.121 .505 -.020 -.239 .812
Age -3.778 .588 -.006 -.064 .949
Years in the U.S. .165 .348 .049 .482 .630
Number of siblings 1.114 1.238 .073 .901 .369
English fluency -1.821 1.801 -.093 -1.011 .314
F (9,140) = 2.449, p <.05, Multiple R=369, [R.sup.2] = .136, adjusted
[R.sup.2] = .080
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