Examining the protective effects of PGI in the acculturative stress process of Mexican immigrants and U.S. born individuals raised in Mexico who later returned to the U.S.

The face of the United States is changing as a result of immigration. Mexican-immigrants account for the majority of the country’s foreign-born population, and it is becoming increasingly important that researchers and therapists learn more about how the cultural transition process may impact these individuals. Knowing the relationship between acculturative stress and psychological distress, and the factors that could affect that relationship, is fundamental in understanding the psychological impact immigration can have. While previous research has primarily focused on examining postmigration issues among adult and adolescent populations, the current study focused on the experiences of individuals in the emerging adult stage of development. Participants were young adult Mexican immigrants and U.S. born individuals raised in Mexico who later returned to the U.S. (N = 97). They were recruited in the community and general university population. A moderated mediation model was analyzed to assess the relationships among family functioning, acculturative stress, personal growth initiative, and psychological distress among this population.
Analyses revealed family functioning was associated with acculturative stress, which in turn, was related to psychological distress. There was no evidence that family functioning was linked to psychological distress independent of its effect on acculturative stress. Although, PGI was not a significant moderator in our hypothesized model, results suggested the possibility of PGI buffering the relationship between acculturative stress and psychological distress if we had a larger sample. The importance of these findings and implications for future research are discussed.