Immigration, Gender, and Psychosocial Adjustment: A Study of 150 Immigrant Couples in Israel

Abstract

Research on gender differences in the process of psychosocial adjustment of recent immigrants is scant. This study was designed to assess occupational, social, and personal/psychological aspects of adjustment to life in Israel among 150 heterosexual couples that immigrated together from the former Soviet Union after 1990. The mean age of participants was 46, over 60% had postsecondary education, and have lived in Israel for the average of 9 years. The study included a structured survey and in-depth interviews with 15 couples. The results suggest that overall levels of adjustment and well-being reported by men and women are rather similar, although they take somewhat different paths toward social integration. Men were doing better in the economic/occupational domain, whereas women were more active in the social domain (e.g., building their personal networks, exploring new lifestyles). Both men and women had experienced occupational downgrading in Israel, but more women worked in physically-demanding jobs such as geriatric nursing and cleaning. Women suffered a more dramatic occupational downgrading than men, as well as lower job security and under/unemployment. Yet, they showed more flexibility and tolerance of their new work roles. No tangible gender differences have been found in the general indicators of psychosocial well-being and overall satisfaction with life in Israel. Processes of social adjustment among immigrants from the former Soviet Union may be less gendered than in other immigrant communities, reflecting more egalitarian gender relations in the Russian/Soviet culture.

Educated Immigrant Women Workers Doing Well With Change: Helping and Hindering Factors

“…These findings support results from previous research (e.g., Salaff & Greve, 2004;Waters, 2002;Yakushko & Chronister, 2005) on immigrant women's adjustment and adaptation, on women's career self-efficacy (Hackett & Betz, 1981), and on individuals in career transitions (e.g., Amundson et al, 2004). Previous studies (e.g., Remennick, 2005;Salaff & Greve, 2004) have highlighted immigrant women's strength and perseverance when faced with challenges. However, the current study provides further information about the personal qualities conducive to doing well with change.…”

Gender Differences in Psychological Distress Among Latin American Immigrants to the Canary Islands

“…For instance, it is known that immigrant women have less opportunity for economic integration; they are more often unemployed and suffer greater occupational downgrading than immigrant men (Remennick 2005;Ritsner et al 2001;Tastsoglou and Preston 2006;United Nations 2006). Yet, certain demographic and migration characteristics can act as resources to offset immigrant women's subordinate status.…”

“…Additional demographic and migration characteristics that can potentially further empower immigrant women include formal employment in the resettlement country, as well as immigration that is long term or permanent and occurs autonomously rather than as part of a family (Hugo 2000). These studies suggest that in addition to the immigration demands mentioned above, employment, education, marital status, household composition, accompaniment as part of a family or on one's own, and years in the resettlement country are important variables to consider (Aroian et al 2003;Hugo 2000;Remennick 2005;Ritsner et al 2001;Ross and Mirowsky 2006). Gender studies have also not considered the effects of age on immigrants' emotional status.…”

Alcohol Use Disorders and Perceived Drinking Norms: Ethnic Differences in Israeli Adults

“…During the 1990s, events in the FSU precipitated a largescale emigration of eligible FSU citizens to Israel (Brym, 1994;Gitelman, 2001), where this immigrant group now constitutes 12% of the Israeli population (Central Bureau of Statistics, 2010). FSU immigrants who arrived in Israel during these years form a large, cohesive minority ethnic group, preserving many aspects of Russian culture, attitudes, and behaviors (Remennick, 2005;Schiff et al, 2005).…”