IMMIGRANT PSYCHOLOGY: ACCULTURATION, ADJUSTMENT AND SERVICE ACCESS AMONG IRANIANS IN TORONTO

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IMMIGRANT PSYCHOLOGY ACCULTURATION, ADJUSTMENT
AND SERVICE ACCESS AMONG IRANIANS IN TORONTO

• Prof. Masood Zangeneh, M.Ed., Ph.D. (candidate)
• Centre for addiction and Mental Health
• COSTI Immigrant Services Centennial College

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Abstract

• Purpose Migration exposes immigrants to
• acculturative uncertainties, manifesting
• itself in different ways including lowered
• mental health status, social and economical
• marginalization, and risk taking behaviours
• such as substance abuse and other dangerous
• consumptions.

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Abstract

• Methods The goal of this presentation is to
  discuss
• unforeseen implications of immigration within the
• construct of acculturation, using two separate
  studies
• that were conducted with the Iranian community in
• Toronto. The first study deals with addiction
  service
• access and explores community's perceptions,
• practices and help-seeking behaviour. The second
• study examines acculturation and adjustment
• among Iranian high school students in Toronto.

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Abstract

• Result Cultural and structural
• barriers are identified that limit
• access to mental-health and
• addiction services available in
• Toronto.

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• Addiction is often an invisible activity in some
  communities. Many people do not identify
  themselves as problem users or openly discuss the
  problem.
• Ethno-cultural communities like other communities
  in Canada are affected by such pattern of risky
  consumptions

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• Ethnically diverse groups live in a particularly
  stressful reality. For these groups, the normal
  demands of life are compounded by problems such
  as language barriers, the loss of status,
  diminished community support, and financial
  problems
• Moreover, further distress may also originate
  from frequent residential moves, a lack of upward
  mobility, and the inability to meaningfully
  relate to cultural institutions such as churches
  and schools

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• A number of studies have shown that immigrant
  groups experience stress as a result of adapting
  to a different culture, and that their alcohol
  and drug use increases as a means of coping with
  stress
• Studies have also shown that substance use and
  other maladaptive behaviors among immigrants may
  be greater in comparison to that in their country
  of origin, and in some cases, to that in their
  country of destination

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Study 1

• Qualitative Method Focus group and personal
• interviews
• community members (n22) service providers
  (n13)
• Goal To understand addiction service access
  issues
• help-seeking behavior within the Iranian
  Community

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Study 2

• Quantitative Method Survey Questionnaire
• non-probability, purposive sampling
• grade 9, 10, 11, 12 (n80)
• Goal To explore if there is a relationship
  between acculturation stress and development of
  mental health problem

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• Findings
• Quantitative Study positive correlation of
  r.245, plt.05 (2-tailed) was
• found between a subject's acculturation success
  and mental health
• adjustment
• Qualitative Study From what we gathered, there
  seems to be a general
• lack of awareness and access among Iranians
  living in Toronto regarding
• addiction services available in the mainstream
  agencies.
• Language, anonymity, and quality of service are
  identified by all
• participants to be the limiting factors in
  accessing services for the
• community members.

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• Major factors that restrict members of the
  community from seeking help
• are identified by service providers, adult (both
  male and female) and
• seniors as stigma, language barriers which
  prevent access to non-Farsi
• services, distrust of outsider's help, discomfort
  in seeking mental health
• help, confidentiality, anonymity, lack of
  knowledge, denial, And pride.
• We asked our participants to name the perceived
  top priority issues for the
• community. We grouped their suggestions and came
  up with this list
• Drugs/ alcohol problems and other dangerous
  consumptions, resources for
• newcomers, immigration transition, language
  training, family mediation,
• education, employment, and housing.