Date of Conferral

2023

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Public Policy and Administration

Advisor

Raj K. Singh

Abstract

The United States needs migrant workers to fill the labor market gap because baby boomers are retiring from the US workforce in large numbers beginning in 2020. Approximately 2.1 million migrants came from Africa to fill the U.S. labor shortage. Many of these African migrants faced challenges with English language proficiency. There are benefits to the United States involved with increasing the economic wellbeing of migrants, such as reducing remigration, increasing the high-skilled labor force, and increasing cultural diversity. This study used Maslow’s motivational theory to test significant relationships between perceptions of English language proficiency (PELP) and economic life satisfaction (ELS) among Black African migrants. This study addressed whether motivation, PELP, and demographics predicted ELS for Black African migrants. The sample was drawn from churches in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, where Black African migrants gather for worship. The research methodology was quantitative, and the design was correlational. Data analysis for this study involved using multiple linear regression and SPSS. Findings indicated motivation for esteem and self-actualization predicted the ELS for Black African migrants living in the U.S. There was also a difference in ELS between Black African migrants who had a U.S. education and those who did not earn a US education. Positive social change will occur when migrants can improve language proficiency, enjoy a better socioeconomic status, and assimilate in the United States. Doing so contributes to higher levels of ELS among Black African migrants.

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