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International Journal of Social Psychiatry
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Acculturation and Mental Health Among Ghanaians in the Netherlands

Jeroen W. Knipscheer, PhD

Department of Clinical Psychology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands

Rolf J. Kleber

Department of Clinical Psychology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands, j.w.knipscheer{at}fss.uu.nl

Background: The current literature on the relationship between cultural adaptation and mental health is premature to offer a comprehensive explanation about the ways acculturation exerts either positive or adverse effects on the mental health of migrants.

Aim: This study is an empirical approach towards understanding the magnitude of the relationship between consequences of cultural adaptation and psychological distress.

Methods: Two samples of Ghanaian migrants in the Netherlands were included: a clinical group ( n = 36) and a non-clinical community group (n = 97). Data were acquired by administering a semi-structured interview. Quantified data were analysed using multivariate techniques.

Results: Contradictory to our hypotheses, the reported level of mental health symptoms in both groups was relatively low, suggesting a substantial resilience among the Ghanaian group. Confirming our hypotheses, specific dimensions of the acculturation process were associated with health status, particularly affiliation with cultural traditions and feelings of loss concerning the country of birth.

Conclusions: Acculturation demands capture critical elements of migrants' experiences that warrant professional interventions tailored to their specific needs. A subtle balance between holding on to the supportive cultural traditions together with moderate involvement in ruminating about pre-migration life, in conjunction with acquiring instrumental skills of the host culture, is a starting position for better health.

International Journal of Social Psychiatry, Vol. 53, No. 4, 369-383 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/0020764007078344
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