The study investigated the psychological distress experienced by a group of South African immigrants to Australia. Factors predicting distress and the way it was manifested were examined. South African immigrants, who had left South Africa less than five years ago, were asked to complete a battery of questionnaires. Results indicated that, in general, these South African immigrants manifested low levels of distress. Psychological distress was not affected by gender or employment status. However, it differed significantly on the basis of their duration of stay in Australia, with the distress reducing as the length of stay increased. Factors such as grief as a result of immigration, low levels of self-esteem, and finally the experience of crime in South Africa also contributed to the psychologi-cal distress experienced by these South African immigrants.

Self-esteem Crime psychosocial factors Psychological distress Immigration South African immigrants

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