Gender differences in predictors of depression for married couples from the former Soviet Union were examined in a cross-sectional, descriptive analysis. Data were collected during a longitudinal study of post-migration health and adaptation. The sample included 308 men and women (154 couples), ages 40-79, who had lived in the US for an average of 6 years.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPost-immigration adaptation is characterized by chronic and acute acculturative stressors. Salivary cortisol is a commonly used hormonal marker of stress, but few studies have investigated its use as an indicator of acculturative stress and adjustment in immigrants. The purpose of this study was to examine relationships among predictors of adjustment (environmental and language mastery), self-reported stress outcomes (depressive symptoms, perceived stress, alienation), and salivary cortisol response in immigrants from the former Soviet Union.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMost research on immigrant acculturation has been conducted with cross-sectional samples, using statistical designs that may not capture different trajectories for the components that contribute to this complex concept. The purpose of this study was to examine change over time in acculturation for 226 women from the former Soviet Union who had lived in the US fewer than eight years when recruited. Using self-report data from four annual waves, growth trajectories were examined in four components of acculturation (American behavior, Russian behavior, English language proficiency, and cultural generativity).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSeveral acculturation theories note the importance of surrounding context, but few studies describe neighborhood influences on immigrant adaptation. The purpose of this study was to examine relationships among neighborhood immigrant concentration, acculturation, and alienation for 151 women aged 44-80 from the former Soviet Union who lived in the US fewer than 13 years. Participants resided in 65 census tracts in the Chicago area with varying concentrations of Russian-speaking and diverse immigrants.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLevel of acculturation has been linked to depressed mood in studies across culturally diverse immigrant groups. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of acculturation, social alienation, personal and family stress, and demographic characteristics on depressed mood in midlife immigrant women from the former Soviet Union. Structural equation modeling showed that higher acculturation scores, measured by English language and American behavior, were indirectly related to lower scores for depressed mood.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe purpose of this cross-sectional analysis is to examine symptoms of depressed mood in relation to age, menopausal status, and length of residence in the United States in midlife women who are recent immigrants from the former Soviet Union. Data for this analysis are from a longitudinal study of the impact of acculturation on postimmigration health status and psychological well-being. The mean score for the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression (CES-D) scale was 23.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe purpose of this cross-sectional analysis is to examine modifiable CVD risk factors in relation to menopausal status, age, and length of residence in the U.S. of midlife women from the former Soviet Union.
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