CULTURAL READJUSTMENT, COPING STRATEGIES AND MENTAL HEALTH STATUS OF WEST INDIANS RESIDING IN A UNITED STATES METROPOLITAN AREA (IMMIGRATION, CULTURE SHOCK).
Contributors: Catholic University of America.
Published: 1984
Number of pages: 121
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Sociology, Ethnic and Racial Studies.
Description: A four part questionnaire consisting of The Cultural Readjustment Index (CRI), Jaloweics Coping Questionnaire, the Langner 22 Item Mental Health Index (MHI) and a demographic information sheet was mailed to a purposive sample of 250 West Indians residing in the U.S.

Data analysis was conducted with a sample of 107 West Indians. The age range was 18-63 with a mean age of 28. Eighty two percent of the respondents lived in households that included other persons, and 62% were single. Most of the respondents had at least 2 years of education beyond high school and 27% had masters degrees or higher. The majority of the respondents had resided in the U.S. for 3 years or more. Fifty nine percent of the respondents planned to return to the Caribbean with the next 10 years.

The mean scale score on the Cultural Readjustment Index (CRI) was 127.94. Items that ranked highest included: (a) the general pace of life and (b) the type of clothes worn. Items that required the least readjustment included: (a) the language spoken, and (b) the number of people of own religious faith.

The sample's mean score on the coping scale was 101.15. Respondents used proportionately more problem oriented coping strategies than affective coping strategies. The coping strategies most frequently used were (a) thinking through different ways to solve the problem, and (b) trying to maintain control of the situation. The mean score on the Langner 22 Item Mental Health Index was well within the healthy range.

Correlational analysis of the scores on the three scales indicated that respondents who used more affective coping strategies also reported more cultural readjustment stress. There was a positive correlation between the use of affective coping and increased risk for problems with mental health.

Analysis of variance results indicated that married subjects had a higher level of mental health than did single subjects. Persons who had resided in the U.S. for 2-5 years were more at risk for having psychiatric problems than were persons who had resided in the U.S. for more than 5 years. Persons with incomes between $10,000 to $20,000 scored higher on the CRI than did respondents who earned less. Persons who earned less than 10,000 were significantly more at risk for having psychiatric problems who earned more than $20,000.

The significant findings were discussed in relation to theories of transitional stages of readjustment such as the "U" curve theory, theories of goal striving, and concepts of the "hardy personality".
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 45-11, Section: B, page: 3467.

Thesis (D.N.SC.)--THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA, 1984.

School code: 0043.