Factors affecting the acculturation strategies of unaccompanied refugee minors in Germany

Abstract

BackgroundDifferent acculturation strategies might be related to different mental health outcomes and social participation of unaccompanied refugee minors (URMs), but little is known about which factors influence this acculturation process. Therefore, the aim of this investigation was to examine the impact of individual, stress-related, and contextual factors on the acculturation process of URMs in Germany.MethodsA sample of N = 132 URMs living in child and youth welfare service facilities in Germany completed questionnaires about their acculturation orientation, traumatic experiences, daily stressors, asylum stress, and perceived social support between June 2020 and October 2021. This investigation is part of the multi-center randomized control trial BETTER CARE. Data were analyzed descriptively and via multiple hierarchical regression.ResultsIntegration (43.5%) and Assimilation (37.1%) were the most common acculturation strategies used by URMs. Multiple hierarchical regression models showed that daily stressors (e.g., the lack of money) were associated with a stronger orientation toward the home country, whereas traumatic events were associated with a weaker orientation toward their home country. No significant predictors were found for the orientation toward the host country.DiscussionOverall, URMs in Germany showed favorable acculturation strategies. Nevertheless, daily stressors and traumatic experiences might influence this process. The implications for practitioners and policymakers are discussed with a view to further improving the acculturation process of URMs in Germany.Clinical Trial Registration: German Clinical Trials Register, DRKS00017453 https://drks.de/search/de/trial/DRKS00017453. Registered on December 11, 2019.

The influence of culture on the health beliefs and health behaviours of older Vietnam‐born Australians living with chronic disease

“…Some studies reported immigrants adopted negative health practices such as less healthy diets and more sedentary lifestyles post migration (Bayog & Waters, 2018;Commodore-Mensah et al, 2018), although this is not always the case with some studies noting improved dietary practices and an increase in physical exercise (Basu & Insler, 2018;Li & Hummer, 2015). Although acculturation has been recognized as critical to the health outcomes of migrants, little is known about factors impacting this process (Garbade et al, 2023). This study suggests further research to understand the mechanisms involved in the process of acculturation among older Vietnam-born people.…”