Lueck and Wilson : Acculturation (SC)

Aim

To investigate factors that may predict acculturative stress in a nationally representative sample of Asian immigrants and Asian Americans.

Sample

Approximately 2,000 Asian Americans and 1,000 first-generation Asian immigrants (who moved to the U.S. at age 18

Research Design

Semi-structured interviews.

Procedure

Interviews (in-person or online) measured acculturative stress levels alongside factors like language proficiency, discrimination, social networks, family cohesion, and socioeconomic status. A random sub-sample was contacted to validate data.

Results

70% of the sample experienced acculturative stress. Negative treatment (discrimination) significantly increased stress, while sharing similar family beliefs and a preference for bilingualism led to lower stress levels.

Conclusion

Acculturation is a complex process where social support and environmental treatment (discrimination) are primary predictors of psychological well-being.

Strengths

Large, diverse sample size. Interviewers shared the participants' cultural backgrounds, reducing social desirability bias and increasing participant comfort.

Limitations

Potential for leading question bias and demand characteristics due to the semi-structured interview format. Self-reporting may affect accuracy.

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