Wilson Meredith, Thayer Zaneta
a Department of Anthropology , University of Illinois , Urbana-Champaign , IL , USA.
b Department of Anthropology & Ecology , Evolution, Ecosystems & Society Program, Dartmouth College , Hanover , NH , USA.
Ann Hum Biol. 2018 Jun;45(4):346-353. doi: 10.1080/03014460.2018.1484160. Epub 2018 Sep 10.
Human biologists have a longstanding interest in understanding the biological and health impacts of migration. Acculturation, the cultural adjustment that a group or individual experiences when previously separate cultures interact, has been found to be one pathway through which migration may impact human biology and health, not only for the migrants themselves, but also their descendants.
The authors conducted a pilot study to examine the relationship between acculturation and perceived stress, self-esteem and depression among young Middle-Eastern American adults.
Survey data were collected from 48 young Middle-Eastern American adults. Participants were divided into one of two acculturation categories, integrated (American and Middle Eastern culture oriented) and assimilated (American culture oriented). Health measures were compared between these acculturation categories.
Integrated individuals had significantly lower stress (F = 8.1, p < 0.01) and depression (F = 10.8, p < 0.01) than assimilated individuals. Integrated individuals had lower self-esteem than assimilated individuals (F = 5.0, p < 0.05). Generational status, a proxy used for acculturation, was only significantly associated with self-esteem (F = 3.15, p = 0.05).
This pilot study furthers understanding of the effects acculturation can have on perceived stress and mental health among young Middle-Eastern Americans. Future research should incorporate biological measures of stress to determine the physiological impacts of acculturation.
人类生物学家长期以来一直对了解移民对生物和健康的影响感兴趣。文化适应是指一个群体或个人在以前相互分离的文化相互作用时所经历的文化调整，它已被发现是移民可能影响人类生物学和健康的一条途径，不仅对移民本身，而且对他们的后代也是如此。
作者进行了一项试点研究，以检验文化适应与美国中东裔年轻成年人的感知压力、自尊和抑郁之间的关系。
收集了48名美国中东裔年轻成年人的调查数据。参与者被分为两种文化适应类别之一，即融合型（以美国和中东文化为导向）和同化型（以美国文化为导向）。对这些文化适应类别之间的健康指标进行了比较。
融合型个体的压力（F = 8.1，p < 0.01）和抑郁（F = 10.8，p < 0.01）明显低于同化型个体。融合型个体的自尊低于同化型个体（F = 5.0，p < 0.05）。代际身份作为文化适应的一个替代指标，仅与自尊有显著关联（F = 3.15，p = 0.05）。
这项试点研究进一步加深了我们对文化适应对美国中东裔年轻人感知压力和心理健康影响的理解。未来的研究应纳入压力的生物学指标，以确定文化适应的生理影响。
