Acculturative stress, work-related psychosocial factors and depression in Korean-Chinese migrant workers in Korea.
OBJECTIVE
The purposes of this study were to identify the relationships among acculturative stress, work-related psychosocial factors and depression in Korean-Chinese migrant workers living in Korea and to determine whether work-related psychosocial factors mediate the relationship between acculturative stress and depression.


METHODS
A descriptive correlational cross-sectional design was used. A convenience sample of 200 Korean-Chinese full-time migrant workers was recruited, and 170 completed questionnaires were included in the analysis. Acculturative stress was assessed by Sandh and Asrabadi's Acculturative Stress Scale. Work-related psychosocial factors were assessed by job demand, insufficient job control and interpersonal conflict measures from the Korean Occupational Stress Scale. Depression was assessed by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Self-administered or face-to-face surveys were conducted by trained data collectors. Multiple regression and path analysis were used.


RESULTS
Roughly 30% of the sample met the criteria for depression. Female workers had significantly higher depression scores than male workers. Acculturative stress and work-related psychosocial factors significantly predicted 26.3% of the variance in depression. A path model revealed the mediating effect of job demand on the relationship between acculturative stress and depression.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that work-related psychosocial factors are salient factors that lead to depression among Korean-Chinese migrant workers living in Korea. The results suggest that occupational health-care professionals should promote the prevention and management of depression in this population and highlight the importance of acculturation context in the development of interventions designed to reduce work-related stress.
Yonsei University College of Nursing, Korea.
Hyeonkyeong
H
Lee
Hyunmi
H
Ahn
Arlene
A
Miller
Chang Gi
CG
Park
Sun Jung
SJ
Kim
D000069:Acculturation; D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D011584:Psychology; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology; D014171:Transients and Migrants / Q000523:psychology*; D014937:Work / Q000523:psychology