In this study we examine whether there is healthy immigrant effect among women immigrated to Taiwan through transnational marriage. A sample of immigrant women (N = 246) with original nativity of Southeast Asian countries and Taiwanese-born women sample (N = 201) was recruited from December 2008 to December 2009. Their depressive symptoms, acculturative stresses and family functioning were assessed by a series of questionnaires. Immigrant women had lower depressive scores than their native-born counterparts when other potential confounders were controlled for in the multiple regression model. Our findings suggest that the healthy immigrant effect exists among immigrant women in Taiwan. Although such effect may due to immigrant women is a highly selective population with hardy mental characteristics, it is crucial to improve immigrant women’s mental health by helping them to enhance the ability of expressing emotions between family members as well as by mitigating socioeconomic inequality of cross-cultural immigrant families. © 2016, Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Immigrant Acculturative stress Family functioning Health immigrant effect Depressive symptoms

depression regression analysis human Asian continental ancestry group Stress, Psychological mental stress ethnology Taiwan qualitative research interview marriage Surveys and Questionnaires Humans migrant psychology Interviews as Topic Emigrants and Immigrants Southeast Asia Acculturation female questionnaire cultural factor women's health Asia, Southeastern