Attachment, coping, acculturative stress, and quality of life among Haitian immigrants
Abstract
This study investigated the relationship between adult attachment, coping, acculturative stress, and quality of life (QOL) among Haitian immigrants. Indicators of QOL included physical health, psychological, social relationships, and environmental factors. Participants consisted of 155 Haitian adults recruited from community centers, churches, and city colleges. Each participant completed a measure of adult attachment, coping, acculturative stress, quality of life, and a demographic questionnaire. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients were computed to assess the relationship between anxiety attachment, avoidance attachment, adaptive coping, maladaptive coping, and the four domains of QOL. Anxiety attachment was positively correlated with acculturative stress, and negatively correlated with each QOL domain. Avoidance attachment was positively correlated with acculturative stress, and negatively correlated with social relationships and environment QOL. Adaptive coping was positively correlated with social relationships QOL, while maladaptive coping was positively correlated with acculturative stress. A simultaneous regression analysis was computed to assess the relationship of anxiety attachment, avoidance attachment, adaptive coping, and maladaptive coping as predictors of acculturative stress. The overall model significantly accounted for the variance in acculturative stress. The results suggest that the stress reactions rooted in the experience of acculturation are partially explained by attachment relationships and coping strategies. Further simultaneous regression analyses were computed to assess the relationship between attachment, coping, and acculturative stress to each QOL domain. The model significantly accounted for the variance in physical environment, psychological, social relationships, and environment QOL. Results of the study underscore the important role of adult attachment and coping in understanding acculturative stress and QOL. The findings suggest that acculturative stress is strongly associated with attachment and coping, and that these variables contribute to QOL satisfaction among the sample of Haitian immigrants. The study has implications for both clinicians and researchers. From a counseling standpoint, practitioners must be aware of the individual's coping strategies and attachment while working with acculturating individuals. From a prevention and treatment perspective, they can assist these individuals in developing skills while taking into consideration individual and culture specific elements within the native culture.
Subject Area
Black studies|Clinical psychology
Recommended Citation
Belizaire, Lonette Sephora, "Attachment, coping, acculturative stress, and quality of life among Haitian immigrants" (2007). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI3268127.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI3268127
