Coping, Meaning-Making and Well-Being Amongst Immigrants of Non-European Descent
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Pepperdine University Pepperdine Digital Commons Theses and Dissertations 2018 Coping, meaning-making and well-being amongst immigrants of non-European descent Jem Powell Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/etd Recommended Citation Powell, Jem, "Coping, meaning-making and well-being amongst immigrants of non-European descent" (2018). Theses and Dissertations. 1024. https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/etd/1024 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by Pepperdine Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Pepperdine Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]. Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology COPING, MEANING-MAKING AND WELL-BEING AMONGST IMMIGRANTS OF NON-EUROPEAN DESCENT A clinical dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Psychology by Jem Powell December 2018 Shelly Harrell, Ph.D. – Dissertation Chairperson This clinical dissertation, written by Jem Powell under the guidance of a Faculty Committee and approved by its members, has been submitted to and accepted by the Graduate Faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PSYCHOLOGY Doctoral Committee: Shelly Harrell, Ph.D., Chairperson Carrie Castañeda-Sound, Ph.D. Sara Mehrabani, PsyD. © Copyright by Jem Powell (2018) All Rights Reserved TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................................................... vii VITA…………………………………………………………………………………………… viii ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................... ...ix Review of Relevant Literature ...................................................................................................... ...1 Immigration in the United States .............................................................................. ..1 Generational Issues and Immigration. ........................................................................2 Acculturation .............................................................................................. ..3 Biculturation ............................................................................................... ..4 Acculturative Stress ..................................................................................... ..7 Meaning-Making and Meaning-Focused Coping ..................................................... ..9 Positive Indicators of Health and Resiliency ........................................................... 10 Family, Immigration, Resiliency and Research ....................................................... 14 Synthesis, Critique and Rationale ............................................................................ 17 Method .......................................................................................................................................... 20 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 20 Qualitative Approach ................................................................................... 20 Researcher as Instrument ............................................................................. 21 Self-Reflexive Statement ............................................................................. 22 Quality of Qualitative Research ................................................................... 23 Participants ............................................................................................................... 24 Description of Participants ........................................................................... 24 Criteria for Inclusion and Exclusion ............................................................ 25 Measures .................................................................................................................. 25 Recruitment and Data Collection Procedures .............................................. 26 Semi-structured Interviews .......................................................................... 28 Data Management .................................................................................................... 29 Data Analysis ........................................................................................................... 29 Ethical Considerations ............................................................................................. 30 Results .......................................................................................................................................... 32 Themes ...................................................................................................................... 32 Cautious Optimism ....................................................................................... 33 Belonging ..................................................................................................... 34 Finding Meaning in Struggle ........................................................................ 37 Lifting as We Climb ..................................................................................... 39 Living under Assumptions ........................................................................... 40 Self-Care and Emotional Support................................................................. 42 Interview Observations................................................................................. 44 Discussion ..................................................................................................................................... 46 Interview Overview .................................................................................................. 48 Ana’s Individual Interview ........................................................................... 48 Yessenia’s Individual Interview ................................................................... 48 Family Interview .......................................................................................... 49 Belonging ................................................................................................................. 50 Finding Meaning in Struggle ................................................................................... 52 Lifting as We Climb ................................................................................................. 54 Living under Assumptions ....................................................................................... 55 Self-Care and Emotional Support ............................................................................ 57 Conclusion for Themes ............................................................................................ 58 Latino Mental Health ............................................................................................... 59 Implications for Clinical Practice ............................................................................. 62 Strengths and Limitations of Study .......................................................................... 65 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................. 68 APPENDIX A: Summary Table of Selected Literature ............................................................. ..87 APPENDIX B: Background Questionnaire ................................................................................ 101 APPENDIX C: Multidimensional Well-Being Assessment ...................................................... 112 APPENDIX D: Recruitment Email ........................................................................................... 119 APPENDIX E: Informed Consent .............................................................................................. 121 APPENDIX F: Semi-Structured Interview Questions for First Generation Immigrants ........... 126 APPENDIX G: Semi-Structured Interview Questions 1.5 Generation ......................................129 APPENDIX H: Semi-Structured Interview Questions Family Interview ................................... 133 APPENDIX I: IRB Approval ..................................................................................................... 136 v LIST OF TABLES Page Table 1. Frequency of Themes .....................................................................................................33 vi VITA EDUCATIONAL HISTORY 2013-2018 Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D), Anticipated Summer 2018 Pepperdine University, Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP), Los Angeles, CA 2010-2013 Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling Rollins College Evening, Winter Park, FL 2006-2010 Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, 2006 Rollins College, Winter Park, FL CLINICAL EXPERIENCE DOCTORAL LEVEL 2017-2018 Pre-Doctoral Intern, APA-Accredited Doctoral Internship Tarzana Treatment Center, Tarzana, CA 2016 –2017 Practicum Trainee Didi Hirsch Community Mental Health, Culver City, CA 2015-2016 Practicum Intern Los Angeles Harbor College, Wilmington, CA 2013-2015 Pre-Doctoral Practicum therapist Union Rescue Mission, Los Angeles, CA 2013-2017 Pre-doctoral practicum therapist Pepperdine University community mental health clinic, Los