Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong.
Department of Social Work, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Public Health. 2018 Sep;162:63-70. doi: 10.1016/j.puhe.2018.05.006. Epub 2018 Jul 17.
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.
A cross-sectional pilot study conducted in six countries employing a common survey questionnaire.
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.
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.
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.
利用国际移民背景下青年韧性研究合作项目的数据，本研究旨在探讨不同的文化适应模式（即融合、同化、分离和边缘化）如何影响移民青年的心理健康，以及韧性是否可以作为文化适应与心理健康之间关联的中介。
在六个国家进行的一项横断面试点研究，采用共同的调查问卷。
研究样本为来自六个国家（澳大利亚、加拿大、中国、新西兰、南非和英国）的 194 名 10-17 岁（中位数为 13.6 岁）的跨边境和国内移民青年。使用 Warwick-Edinburgh 心理健康量表（WEMWBS）测量心理健康和幸福感。使用儿童和青少年韧性量表-28 版（CYRM-28）测量韧性。使用青少年多元文化适应、习惯和兴趣量表（AHIMSA）评估文化适应。采用多元回归和路径分析检验假设的中介模型。
韧性得分与心理健康和幸福感呈强相关。文化适应对移民青年的心理健康没有显著的直接影响。然而，与以融合为导向的青年相比，以同化为导向的青年表现出较低的韧性，导致较差的心理健康。与来自其他国家的移民青年相比，来自中国的移民青年报告的韧性水平也较低，导致较差的心理健康结果。
文化适应在移民青年的心理健康中起着重要作用，不同的文化适应取向通过韧性的中介效应表现出不同的影响。培养韧性和促进以融合为导向的文化适应是针对移民青年的公共卫生策略。
