Nigerian women who migrate to the United States are faced with complex social challenges as they acculturate to a new society. Stressful conditions and acculturation experiences may threaten the overall mental health of these immigrant women. The purpose of this study was to explore the acculturation experiences of Nigerian immigrant women living in the United States, identify stressors associated with the process, and highlight the coping strategies they employed. Stress and coping theory provided the theoretical framework for the study and phenomenological inquiry guided the research questions and method. Data were gathered through face-to-face interviews. Content analysis and coding were utilized to find relevant themes. Participants described their immigration experiences as being difficult although they reported their lives are "much better now". The women adopted a positive, hard working attitude; relied on their faith in God; and sought mentors and a supportive community. Most participants reported being unaware of the resources available to them and more than half reported not having access to any resources. Participants reported receiving support from their friends, family members, and communities of faith. Research on the acculturative experiences of these women would be useful in developing gender specific programs that would support the integration process and reduce mental health issues that may arise as a result of acculturation stressors. In an advocacy effort towards social change, results from this study may inform service providers of Nigerian immigrant women's unique cultural needs as they acculturate to living in the United States.

Nigerian women who migrate to the United States are faced with complex social challenges as they acculturate to a new society. Stressful conditions and acculturation experiences may threaten the overall mental health of these immigrant women. The purpose of this study was to explore the acculturation experiences of Nigerian immigrant women living in the United States, identify stressors associated with the process, and highlight the coping strategies they employed. Stress and coping theory provided the theoretical framework for the study and phenomenological inquiry guided the research questions and method. Data were gathered through face-to-face interviews. Content analysis and coding were utilized to find relevant themes. Participants described their immigration experiences as being difficult although they reported their lives are â??much better nowâ??. The women adopted a positive, hard working attitude; relied on their faith in God; and sought mentors and a supportive community. Most participants reported being unaware of the resources available to them and more than half reported not having access to any resources. Participants reported receiving support from their friends, family members, and communities of faith. Research on the acculturative experiences of these women would be useful in developing gender specific programs that would support the integration process and reduce mental health issues that may arise as a result of acculturation stressors. In an advocacy effort towards social change, results from this study may inform service providers of Nigerian immigrant women's unique cultural needs as they acculturate to living in the United States.

While extensive research has supported the negative impacts of psychological control (i.e., intrusive parenting behaviors that restrain a child’s self-expression) on child adjustment (e.g., Barber et al., 2005), less has systematically investigated predictors of psychological control, especially in the context of immigrant families. Soenens and Vansteenkiste (2010) suggested that parents are more likely to engage in psychological control when their basic psychological needs are frustrated. According to Self-Determination Theory (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 2002), the need for autonomy, relatedness, and competence are essential for well-being. I hypothesized that lower satisfaction of the need for competence and relatedness, each indicated by a number of stressors, would predict increasing psychological control over time. Participants were 182 immigrant Chinese families (2/3 randomly recruited) with adolescent children. Family members were assessed two times, 18 months apart. Results of hierarchical multiple regressions revealed that, despite high stability in psychological control over time, low parent-child agreement, high perceived discrimination, and high language stress predicted increases in psychological control over time for mothers. In addition, low marital satisfaction predicted increasing psychological control for newcomer fathers, and high interpersonal acculturation stress predicted increasing psychological control for fathers who had been in Canada for a longer period. Implications for practice and polity are discussed. / Graduate / 0621

Thesis (Psy. D.)--Wheaton College Graduate School, Wheaton, IL, 2004. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 65-69).

Thesis (Psy. D.)--Wheaton College Graduate School, 2004. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 65-69).

Thesis (Psy. D.)--Wheaton College Graduate School, Wheaton, IL, 2004. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 65-69).

Alcohol use among international students in a U.S. community college setting was explored in regard to the interrelationships with acculturation stress and drinking motivations. Misuse of alcohol has been acknowledged as a serious problem on American college campuses. A positive relationship between stress and alcohol use has been documented among those who lack internal and external resources and support systems. International students have been recognized as higher-risk than other college students due to acculturation stress. However, very few studies have investigated the drinking behaviors of this population. To fill this research gap, a survey was conducted with non-immigrant international students (F-1 students) (N = 126) and immigrants international students (non-F-1 students) (N = 136) enrolled in English as a Second Language (ESL) programs in a U.S. community college. The results, which were derived from responses to three published instruments, Index of Life Stress (ILS), Core Alcohol and Drug Survey (CADS) Community College Long Form, and Revised Drinking Motivation Questionnaire (DMQ-R), as well as the researcher-made demographic information sheet, indicated that these groups were not engaged in abusive drinking behavior. This finding may reflect the support systems available to these students in an ESL setting and their family/friend networks. However, moderately strong zero-order correlations between acculturation stress and drinking motives to control negative affects were revealed. Further discussions and implication are provided. / Ph. D.

As of 2016 the number of international students in the United States has reached over one million. Institutions of higher education in the United States have been attracting increasing numbers of international college students, primarily from China and other Southeast Asian countries. As a result, organizations such as the Institute of International Education have encouraged colleges and universities to create pathway programs. Pathway programs accept international students who do not have strong English language and/or academic skills, yet have a desire to study abroad. These students take English as a Second Language (ESL) courses at the university before beginning their degree courses. Some program models also have students taking their first-year courses apart from the rest of the student body to help these students close their skill gaps. However, this study focused solely on a pathway program that offers only ESL courses. Previous studies have shown that students who have academic language proficiency, yet lack the ability to integrate socially, often struggle with acculturation. This, in turn, can lead to problems with persistence in their course work and ultimately lack of degree completion. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the social integration of international Chinese students comparing those who participated in the ESL program and those that did not at the subject university. The study examined the influence of this treatment on college retention and on self-reported social integration of international Chinese students. The study findings demonstrate that international Chinese students at this subject university who have received the intervention persist, having similar graduation rates compared to the general cohort, similar retention rates to the general cohort; and equal to or declining grade point averages based on the treatment-level. The study also shows that the ESL students have less acculturative stress and are more socially active in their college community than the non-ESL students. The effects of this social intervention have been positive not only at the start of their degree programs, but carry through their program. The study presents evidence as to the benefits the treatment offers towards persistence at this university, which supports pathway programs.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Michigan State University. School of Social Work, 2008. / "This study used a mixed methods research design that employed both qualitative and quantitative research methods to explore the impacts of social and demographic characteristics on acculturative stress and psychological distress in 27 adult female Liberian refugees living in Lansing, Michigan." Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Aug. 19, 2009) Includes bibliographical references (p. 169-179). Also issued in print.

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