Cognitive factors underlying the impact of postmigration stressors on subjective well‐being: Well‐being comparisons and self‐efficacy

Abstract

BackgroundMigration and the resulting challenges in the host country can have a profound impact on the mental health of refugees and intensify preoccupation with one's own well‐being. Yet, cognitive factors underlying the adverse impact of postmigration stressors are poorly understood.ObjectiveWe aimed at exploring the frequency and nature of well‐being comparisons in the context of flight and migration using the Comparison Standards Scale for Well‐being (CSS‐W), which assesses well‐being related social, temporal, counterfactual, criteria‐based and dimensional aversive and appetitive comparisons. We further aimed at examining the mediating role of well‐being comparisons and general self‐efficacy in the relationship between postmigration stressors and psychological well‐being.MethodsWe conducted a survey with 1070 Arabic speaking forcibly displaced people in Germany assessing well‐being comparisons, general self‐efficacy, postmigration stressors, subjective well‐being and social media engagement.ResultsFactor analysis of the CSS‐W yielded a theoretically grounded two‐factor structure proposing an aversive (mostly upward) and an appetitive (mostly downward) comparison factor. Aversive and appetitive comparisons were reported by more than 99% of participants, with temporal comparisons being reported by 98.7% of participants. Postmigration stressors were significantly related to subjective well‐being and aversive well‐being comparisons and general self‐efficacy partially mediated this relationship. Appetitive well‐being comparisons, however, were not significantly related to neither postmigration stressors nor general self‐efficacy.ConclusionAversive well‐being comparisons and general self‐efficacy seem to play a significant role in the adverse effects of postmigration stressors on subjective well‐being. Longitudinal research is needed to examine the directional dynamics between general self‐efficacy, well‐being comparisons and postmigration stressors.