Measuring acculturation and symptoms of depression of foreign immigrants in the Athens area.
BACKGROUND
Acculturation is the phenomenon that results when a group with one culture comes into continuous contact with a host culture and changes occur in the original culture of either one or both groups. Acculturation has also been linked with stress-related psychological disorder and depression.


OBJECTIVE
This article investigates the acculturation process and the depressive state of foreign immigrants living in the greater Athens area.


METHODS
All consecutive cases of 157 foreign immigrants who visited a nongovernmental organization (NGO) providing consultative services to immigrants were interviewed using a structured questionnaire including the Immigrant Acculturation Scale (IAS) and the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies - Depression (CES-D) scale.


RESULTS
Factor analysis of IAS yielded a three-factor solution and 17 items with loadings ranging from 0.74 to 0.41. This scale was also tested and proven to be reliable. The main finding is that the higher the acculturation level of the immigrant individual, the lower the CES-D scale score; the fewer the depressive symptoms are self-reported. Length of stay, existence of family in Greece, legal status of residence and employment were also found to have an effect on depressive symptomatology.


CONCLUSIONS
Acculturation could be seen as a beneficial mechanism protecting the individual to be exposed to stressful non-adaptive behaviour.
Madianos
M G
MG
Department of Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences, School of Health Sciences, University of Athens. madianos@nurs.uoa.gr
Gonidakis
F
F
Ploubidis
D
D
Papadopoulou
E
E
Rogakou
E
E
D000069:Acculturation; D000328:Adult; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors