2. Why this topic?
1. Universality of this issue
2. Seriousness of risk
3. Personal experience
3. Universality of this issue
The problem of mental stress among immigrants is
becoming more serious while migration has
become an increasingly global phenomenon.
Government report shows in 2005 one fifth of New
Zealanders were born overseas (Department of Labour,
2005)
4. Universality of this issue
Some immigrants
achieve their
positive aims,
whereas others
suffer from
considerable
mental stress to
adjust for new
environment
(Francis, Chapman, Hoare
and Mills, 2008)
5. Seriousness of risk
adverse effects on individuals, families of immigrants
and host society
Individuals: prolonged mental stress has negative
repercussions for physical health.
Families: caregivers with mental stress contribute to
immigrants’ family violence. Previous research found
that about a third of both killers and victims of couple-
related homicides between 2002 and 2006 in New
Zealand were born overseas (Ministry of Social Development, 2010;
Thomas, 1995).
host society: more public healthcare expenditures and
intense relationships between immigrants and local
population (Ben-Sira, 1997; Patiño & Kirchner, 2009).
6. My research question
What are the associated factors of mental
stress among the different age groups of
immigrants who have been in New Zealand less
than 3 years?
Pederson (1995) has described that immigrants who have been
in the new country less than 3 years are mostly suffering from
the mental stress.
Different age groups of immigrants have different major stressor.
For example, teenager immigrants are more likely to suffer from
acculturative stressor while most of adult immigrants are
suffering economical stressors.
7. Research design and methods
My research question led to a deductive inquiry. As
the aim of the quantitative study, the non-
experimental descriptive research was chosen as
the theoretical basis for the research. the aim of
this research is to determine the different
stressors among different age groups of new
immigrants without otherwise intervening.
Therefore, a questionnaire will be designed for a
survey.
8. study proposes to analyse the data
The participants will be recruited through four
community mental health service centres around
Auckland.
If the client is an immigrant and the length of stay in
New Zealand is less than 3 years, the researcher will
introduce this survey to him/her. The age of the
participants must over 18 years old. The
participants will take a survey with a questionnaire
in a private location within the services centre after
signing an informed consent form.
9. study proposes to analyse the data
Questionnaire
numerous stressors will be divided into three groups, namely
economic, social and cultural factors.
For instance, there are five main stressors for new immigrants in
economic status: difficulty to find a job, low payment, pressure
of housing, poor education background, and no local work
experience
Participants will choose a number from 0 to 10 to rate these five
possible stressors. Zero means no trouble with this stressor,
number 10 indicates the most severe stress the participants can
imagine.
Maybe some participants feel have other stressors which is not
listed, so the option of “others” will be given in every category,
then participants can write and rate new stressors they think
they have.
10. analyse the data
The researchers will summarise and organise
the collected data every month.
Stratified sampling method (Babbie, 2008) will be
used. This means all the samples will be
divided into three groups according to their
age, 18to 21, over 21 to 65, and over 65.
Then the researchers will calculate the rate of
every stressor in every age group. The average
rate of every stressor would be different among
the three age groups.
11. implications for
professional/discipline practice
By identifying the different stressors in the
different age groups of new immigrants in
New Zealand, the mental health caregiver
can get a thorough understanding of
difference of mental health problems among
different age groups of new immigrants.
Therefore, it will help caregivers to make
further plans by using different strategies to
different groups.
12. References
Babbie, E. (2008). The basics of social research (4th ed.). Belmont, Canada: Thomson
Wadsworth.
Ben-Sira, Z. (1997). Immigration, stress, and readjustment. London, British: Greenwood Press.
Department of Labour. (2005). Migration trends 2005-2006. Retrieved from
http://www.dol.govt.nz/publications/research/migration trends/index.asp
Francis, K., Chapman, Y., Hoare, K., & Mills, J. (2008). Australia & New Zealand community as
partner: Theory and practice in nursing. New South Wales, Australia: Lippincott, Williams
Wilkins Pty Ltd.
Patiño, C., & Kirchner, T. (2009). Stress and psychopathology in Latin-American immigrants:
The role of coping strategies. Psychopathology, 43(1), 17-18. DOI: 10.1159/000255959
Pederson, P. (1995). The five stages of culture shock: Critical incidents around the world. London,
British: Greenwood Press.
Thomas, N. T. (1995). Acculturative stress in the adjustment of immigrant families. Journal of
Social Distress and the Homeless, 4(2), 131-142. DOI: 10.1007/BF02094613
