This study was a longitudinal investigation of the three different dimensions of long-term immigrant adaptation (i.e., psychological, sociocultural, and socioeconomic adaptation) and the relationships between them in an 8-year follow-up with panel data. The 282 respondents were immigrants in Finland, born between 1961 and 1976, coming from the former Soviet Union. The results suggest that the adaptation of these immigrants has developed favourably. In 8 years, the respondents had improved their Finnish language skills and their position in the labour market. No differences were observed in their levels of psychological well-being between the two assessments. Of the three adaptation dimensions assessed, sociocultural adaptation, measured as proficiency in understanding, speaking, reading, and writing Finnish, turned out to be the most significant predictor of the two other long-term outcomes of immigrant adaptation (i.e., socioeconomic and psychological). In particular, the better the initial command of the Finnish language, the better were their socioeconomic and psychological adaptation outcomes after 8 years of residence. These results demonstrate the importance of parallel and longitudinal assessments of the different outcomes of immigrant adaptation in order to address which particular dimensions of adaptation are most critical in the beginning of acculturation in terms of determining positive development and long-term immigrant adaptation. © 2008 International Union of Psychological Science.

immigrants Psychological adaptation Sociocultural Ethnic migrants socioeconomic Longitudinal study

Russia Models, Psychological depression longitudinal study psychological model Finland anxiety disorder psychological aspect Russian Federation human Longitudinal Studies statistics Adaptation, Psychological Depressive Disorder Statistics as Topic Anxiety Disorders language Estonia ethnology Cross-Sectional Studies Young Adult cross-sectional study Humans male Emigrants and Immigrants Acculturation Socioeconomic Factors female risk factor Risk Factors adaptive behavior socioeconomics cultural factor Article adult migration Multilingualism