title: Predictors of acculturative hassles among Vietnamese refugees in Norway: Results from a long-term longitudinal study.
abstract: We investigated acculturative hassles in a community cohort of Vietnamese refugees in Norway (n = 61), exploring cross-sectional data and longitudinal predictors of acculturative hassles using data from their arrival in Norway in 1982 (T1), with follow up in 1985 (T2) and in 2005-2006 (T3). To our knowledge, this is the first longitudinal study of predictors of acculturative hassles in a refugee population. Results indicated that more communication problems and less Norwegian language competence were related to most hassles at T3. Higher psychological distress, lower quality of life, lower self-reported state of health, and less education at T3 were associated with higher levels of hassles at T3. More psychological distress at T2 and less education at arrival (T1) were significant predictors for more acculturative hassles at T3. These data suggest that addressing psychological distress during the early phase in a resettlement country may promote long-term refugee adjustment and, in particular, reduce exposure to acculturative hassles.
authors.affiliation: University of Oslo laila.tingvold@hig.no.
authors.forename: Laila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tingvold
authors.affiliation: Stavanger University Hospital.
authors.forename: Aina Basilier
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Vaage
authors.affiliation: University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth Campus.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies (NKVTS) and Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Eastern and Southern Norway.
authors.forename: Tore
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wentzel-Larsen
authors.affiliation: International House Foundation.
authors.forename: Thong
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: van Ta
authors.affiliation: University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital.
authors.forename: Edvard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hauff
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People / Q000208:ethnology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health / Q000592:standards*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway / Q000208:ethnology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012036:Refugees / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000208:ethnology*; D014744:Vietnam
keywords: Vietnamese; acculturative hassles; health outcomes; mental health; psychological distress; refugees