Discrimination and Psychosocial Well-Being of Migrants in Spain: The Moderating Role of Sense of Community

Abstract

The discrimination migrants perceive during their adaptation process is one of the main sources of stress and it affects their well-being, health and integration severely. The present study analyses how the sense of community (SOC) can have a protective effect against the perception of discrimination and its negative consequences by verifying the following theoretical model: discrimination predicts three indicators of psychosocial well-being (psychological distress, satisfaction with life and feelings of social exclusion). Furthermore, the theoretical model proposed also considers the hypothesis that SOC has a moderating role on the effect of perceived discrimination regarding the three variables mentioned above. 1714 migrants from Eastern Europe, Africa and Latin America who live in Málaga, Spain, participated in the study. Data were collected using random-route sampling and survey methodology. After carrying out multiple regression analyses, using the PROCESS tool in SPSS 20, the theoretical model was verified: SOC reduces the negative effects of perceived discrimination for the variables psychological distress, satisfaction with life and social exclusion feelings. Therefore, migrants who have a greater SOC experience fewer negative consequences, as compared to those with a lower SOC, for whom the consequences of such variables are more negative. These results highlight the importance for migrants to rebuild social networks in the host country and develop a good SOC. Results also allow the development of intervention patterns to favor positive interactions between native population and migrants.

Social Integration as Mediator and Age as Moderator in Social Capital Affecting Mental Health of Internal Migrant Workers: A Multi-Group Structural Equation Modeling Approach

“…In addition, each community should make full use of its resources, such as working with social organizations, increasing community activities, improving community conflict and dispute mediation mechanisms, etc. This would promote the acculturation and identity integration of migrant workers, help migrant workers and local residents form good social relations, and enhance the social trust, security, and happiness of migrant workers ( 84 ).…”

Resilience and empowerment in immigrant experiences: A look through the transconceptual model of empowerment and resilience.

“…Research on collective action provides an explanatory model that might be a useful starting point in exploring what enables empowerment. García-Cid et al (2020), for example, found that sense of community (SOC) can moderate negative impacts of discrimination and that interventions in immigrant communities that increase positive encounters with the receiving community and prioritize SOC can forge collective action. A focus on the collective, macro community is supported by Klandermans et al’s (2008) study of Muslim immigrants in the Netherlands and New York City, in which they found no substantial differences between immigrants and receiving community members in the psychosocial mechanisms that led to collective action.…”

Social Integration and Health Among Young Migrants in China: Mediated by Social Mentality and Moderated by Gender

“…Third, community resources should be put into full use. For instance, more community activities can be organized and the mediation mechanism for community conflicts and disputes can be improved to promote the social adaptation and cultural integration of young migrants, helping them form good social relations with local residents and enhance their social trust, sense of security and happiness ( García-Cid et al, 2020 ). Moreover, in the case of routine management for the new crown epidemic, professional psychological counseling can be offered to the young migrants in the community to alleviate the psychological impact of the epidemic on them, adding to the all-around support for their social integration ( Li et al, 2021 ).…”