Acculturation, resilience, and the mental health of migrant youth : a cross-country comparative study

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dc.contributor.author Wu, Qiaobing
dc.contributor.author Ge, T.
dc.contributor.author Emond, Alan Martin
dc.contributor.author Foster, Kim N.
dc.contributor.author Gatt, Justine M.
dc.contributor.author Hadfield, Kristin
dc.contributor.author Mason-Jones, Amanda J.
dc.contributor.author Reid, Steve John
dc.contributor.author Theron, Linda C.
dc.contributor.author Ungar, Michael
dc.contributor.author Wouldes, Trecia A.
dc.date.accessioned 2018-11-14T09:56:22Z
dc.date.issued 2018-09
dc.description.abstract OBJECTIVES : Using data from an international collaborative research project on youth resilience in the context of migration, this study aims to investigate how different acculturation patterns (i.e. integration, assimilation, separation and marginalization) influence the mental health of migrant youth, and whether resilience might function as a mediator in the association between acculturation and mental health. STUDY DESIGN : A cross-sectional pilot study conducted in six countries employing a common survey questionnaire. METHODS : The study sample was 194 youths aged 10–17 years (median = 13.6) from six countries (Australia, Canada, China, New Zealand, South Africa, and United Kingdom) and included cross-border and internal migrants. Mental health and well-being was measured by the Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS). Resilience was measured by the Child and Youth Resilience Measure-28 (CYRM-28). Acculturation was assessed using the Acculturation, Habits, and Interests Multicultural Scale for Adolescents (AHIMSA). Multivariate regression and path analysis were performed to examine the hypothesized mediation model. RESULTS : Resilience scores correlated strongly with mental health and well-being. Acculturation exerted no significant direct effects on the mental health of migrant youths. Nevertheless, compared to youths who were integration-oriented, assimilation-oriented youths tended to exhibit lower levels of resilience, resulting in poorer mental health. Compared to youths from other countries, migrant youths from China also reported lower levels of resilience, which led to poorer mental health outcome. CONCLUSION : Acculturation plays a significant role in the mental health of migrant youth, with different acculturative orientations exhibiting different influences through the mediation effect of resilience. Fostering resilience and facilitating integration-oriented acculturation are recommended public health strategies for migrant youth. en_ZA
dc.description.department Educational Psychology en_ZA
dc.description.embargo 2019-09-01
dc.description.librarian hj2018 en_ZA
dc.description.sponsorship The Worldwide Universities Network (WUN) Research Development Fund. Other funding sources for research team members include: Research Grants Council General Research Fund (14613215) (for Qiaobing Wu), University of Bristol (for Alan Emond), National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Career Development Fellowship and supportive grant (1062495) (for Justine Gatt), National Research Foundation Incentive Funding (IFR2011041100058) (for Linda Theron), University of York (for Amanda Mason-Jones), University of Auckland postgraduate funding (for Trecia Wouldes). en_ZA
dc.description.uri http://www.journals.elsevier.com/public-health en_ZA
dc.identifier.citation Wu, Q., Ge, T., Emond, A. et al. 2018, 'Acculturation, resilience, and the mental health of migrant youth : a cross-country comparative study', Public Health, vol. 162, pp. 63-70. en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn 0033-3506
dc.identifier.other 10.1016/j.puhe.2018.05.006
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/2263/67257
dc.language.iso en en_ZA
dc.publisher Elsevier en_ZA
dc.rights © 2018 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Notice : this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Public Health. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. A definitive version was subsequently published in Public Health, vol. 162, pp. 63-70, 2018. doi : 10.1016/j.puhe.2018.05.006. en_ZA
dc.subject Acculturation en_ZA
dc.subject Mental health en_ZA
dc.subject Migration en_ZA
dc.subject Resilience en_ZA
dc.subject Youth en_ZA
dc.subject Adolescent en_ZA
dc.subject Australia en_ZA
dc.subject Canada en_ZA
dc.subject China en_ZA
dc.subject Cultural factor en_ZA
dc.subject Migrant youth en_ZA
dc.subject New Zealand en_ZA
dc.subject Path analysis en_ZA
dc.subject Psychological well-being en_ZA
dc.subject Public health en_ZA
dc.subject School child en_ZA
dc.subject South Africa (SA) en_ZA
dc.subject United Kingdom (UK) en_ZA
dc.title Acculturation, resilience, and the mental health of migrant youth : a cross-country comparative study en_ZA
dc.type Postprint Article en_ZA


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