ACCULTURATION ATTITUDES AND ACCULTURATIVE STRESS OF CENTRAL-AMERICAN REFUGEES

Research on acculturation has revealed a variable relationship between acculturation and mental health, which is due to the presence of a nu mber of moderating factors. Some of these factors, namely, modes of ac culturation, acculturative experience with the host society, contact w ith the culture of origin, and individualistic values have been examin ed in order to understand better the relationship of these factors wit h acculturative stress. In the present research, Central American refu gees (N = 101) who were resettled in Canada completed a questionnaire dealing with their attitudes, behaviours, values, and levels of accult urative stress. Results indicated that different factors are involved in the prediction of psychological and somatic aspects of acculturativ e stress, with contact with the culture of origin and modes of accultu ration being the best predictors.