Acculturation Stress Among Older Korean American Immigrants

Background and Purpose

Acculturation is known to be a significant predictor for the physical and psychological well-being of immigrant populations in the U.S.  However, little is known about levels of acculturation stress among older immigrant population.  In response, this study attempted to explore the levels of acculturation stress among older Korean immigrants.  Koreans are one of the fastest growing ethnic groups among Asian populations in the U.S., but the current knowledge on their acculturation and its impact is scarce.  This study investigated the following research questions:

• What are the levels of acculturation stress among older Koreans in the U.S.?
• What factors significantly predict the levels of acculturation stress among older Koreans in the U.S.?

Methods

In this study, the sample was recruited utilizing a convenient sampling method.  A total of 62 Koreans aged 65 or older participated in the study (mean age=69.9 with SD=6.7).  A survey was created for the study, adopting existing scales.  The survey inquired the participants’ immigration related experiences, including stressors, and their socio-demographic information.  Particularly, the survey included the Demands of Immigration Specific Distress (DISD) Scale, which has six content domains: language accommodation, loss, not feeling at home, novelty, discriminations, and occupation adjustment.  The collected data were analyzed applying descriptive statistical methods and linear regression analyses.

Results

The majority of the study sample was married (87.2%), female (58.1%).  Approximately half of the participants were employed and had medical insurance at the time of the survey.  The majority of the study participants reported that their English proficiency was not good (68.8%), and were born outside the U.S. (51.6%) with their mean length of stay in the U.S. being 25.1 years (SD = 11.9).  According to the DISD scale, 13.8% of the participants had high levels of acculturation distress with their scores ranging from 47 to 69.  Approximately 83% reported moderate levels of acculturation distress, and only 2.9 % reported to experience minor levels of acculturation distress.  The participants scored high particularly in the domains of loss, novelty, and language accommodation.  The results of the regression analyses showed that family support, length of stay in the U.S., and employment status were significant predictors for the participants’ level of acculturation distress.

Conclusions

The findings of the study illustrate the high vulnerability of older Koreans in the U.S. to acculturation stress, which is consistent with prior studies conducted with other ethnic, older immigrant populations in the U.S.  The findings that family, length of stay in the U.S. and employment status were significantly associated with the participants’ levels of acculturation stress accentuate the need for the development and implementation of culturally appropriate services for this population.  It is important that social service agencies understand this population’s unique culture, including their history of trauma and immigration experiences, and its effect on their lives.  In order to provide culturally appropriate services, more knowledge should be obtained regarding this population’s needs and experiences, and more efforts should be made for community education and advocacy so that adequate services and resources are provided for this population.