Date of Conferral

2023

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Brandy Benson

Abstract

Acculturation and acculturative stress have been linked to depression among immigrants and refugee populations. Asian Americans and Asian American subgroups are underrepresented and have been neglected in research. The purpose of this quantitative study was to measure the relationship between acculturation and depression with length of time in the United States and acculturative stress as mediating variables among the understudied Asian American subgroup, Burmese refugees resettled in the United States. Unidimensional and bidimensional models of acculturation form the theoretical framework for this study. Three instruments, the Suinn-Lew Asian Self Identity Acculturation scale, the Riverside Acculturation Stress Inventory, and the Beck Depression Inventory II were used to measure degree of acculturation, level of acculturative stress, and level of depression among Burmese refugees (N = 50) resettled in San Antonio, Texas. Multiple regression was used to address two research questions examining whether length of time in the United States moderated the influence of acculturation on depression of Burmese refugees and whether acculturative stress mediated the influence of acculturation on depression of Burmese refugees. The results did not show a significant relationship between acculturation and depression. Controlling for acculturative stress did not affect the relationship between acculturation and depression. The results did however indicate significant relationships between length of time in the United States and acculturation, and between acculturation and acculturative stress. Implications for positive social change include informing public policy of study results to identify needs to develop programs for this specific group of individuals.

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