Archives of Women's Mental Health
Volume 17, Issue 5, 2014, Pages 359-366

Perceived discrimination, family functioning, and depressive symptoms among immigrant women in Taiwan (Article)

Yang H.-J.* , Wu J.-Y. , Huang S.-S. , Lien M.-H. , Lee T.S.-H.
  • a Department of Public Health, Chung Shan Medical University, No.110, Sec.1, Jianguo N. Rd., Taichung, 40201, Taiwan, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
  • b Department of Public Health, Chung Shan Medical University, No.110, Sec.1, Jianguo N. Rd., Taichung, 40201, Taiwan
  • c Department of Public Health, Chung Shan Medical University, No.110, Sec.1, Jianguo N. Rd., Taichung, 40201, Taiwan
  • d Department of Public Health, Chung Shan Medical University, No.110, Sec.1, Jianguo N. Rd., Taichung, 40201, Taiwan
  • e Department of Health Promotion and Health Education, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan

Abstract

This study examined the moderating effect of family functioning on the relationship between perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms in immigrant women. A total of 239 immigrant women were selected from four administrative regions in Central Taiwan. Questionnaires concerning perceived discrimination, family functioning (including family cohesion and family adaptability), depressive symptoms, and demographic characteristics were completed by either women themselves (N = 120) or their husbands (N = 119). The moderating effect of family functioning on the relationship between perceived discrimination and depression symptoms was analyzed using multiple regression analysis. Findings showed that a higher level of perceived discrimination among immigrant women is associated with more severe depressive symptoms. Family functioning serves as a moderator between the relationship of perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms, but the moderating effect of family adaptability was evident only in data reported by immigrant women. The results indicate that perceived discrimination has negative mental health implications, and also point to the importance of family functioning for depression. Findings suggest that providers should consider addressing immigrant women’s mental health needs through declining their psychosocial distress at multiple ecological levels. © 2014, Springer-Verlag Wien.

Author Keywords

perceived discrimination immigrant women Family functioning Moderation Depressive symptoms

Index Keywords

Vietnam China depression perceptive discrimination Social Identification human epidemiology middle aged statistics and numerical data Adaptation, Psychological social support ethnology Taiwan Discrimination (Psychology) Young Adult Humans migrant racism psychology Emigrants and Immigrants female Viet Nam adaptive behavior questionnaire Family Relations Questionnaires adult family relation Prejudice social behavior
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84891817320&doi=10.1007%2fs00737-013-0401-8&partnerID=40&md5=3e4ee2ca581d083bc7feb50b86666d7b
DOI: 10.1007/s00737-013-0401-8
ISSN: 14341816
Cited by: 10
Original Language: English