Ethnic identity and stress appraisal as acculturative stress processes among Armenian Americans

Author

Tsolak Michael Kirakosyan, Humboldt State UniversityFollow

Graduation Date

Spring 2020

Document Type

Thesis

Program

Master of Arts degree with a major in Psychology, option Academic Research

Committee Chair Name

Dr. Maria I. Iturbide

Committee Chair Affiliation

HSU Faculty or Staff

Second Committee Member Name

Dr. Amber Gaffney

Second Committee Member Affiliation

HSU Faculty or Staff

Third Committee Member Name

Dr. Brandilynn Villareal

Third Committee Member Affiliation

HSU Faculty or Staff

Keywords

Acculturation, Stress, Acculturative stress, Ethnic identity, Stress appraisal, Armenians, Armenian Americans

Subject Categories

Psychology

Abstract

The current study examined the role of ethnic identity and stress appraisal as buffers of the relationship between acculturative stress and wellbeing in a national sample of Armenian American adults between eighteen and thirty-nine years old (N = 159; 62.89% women, 32.08% men; mean age = 25.59, SD = 5.30). Acculturative stress positively correlated with depressive symptoms, and negatively with self-esteem and positive stress appraisal. Stronger ethnic identity affirmation and belonging was related to less depressive symptoms, more positive stress appraisal, and greater self-esteem and life satisfaction. In hierarchical linear regression analyses, acculturative stress significantly predicted more depressive symptoms, though it was not predictive of self-esteem or life satisfaction. Two-way interaction effects were not detected between acculturative stress and either intervening variable (i.e., ethnic identity or stress appraisal). Furthermore, the two-way interaction between ethnic identity and stress appraisal did not significantly predict the link between acculturative stress and wellbeing, nor was the three-way interaction between the predictor and the intervening variables. The discussion reviews sociocultural characteristics of the study sample and the population as a whole that may have contributed to these results. Future directions for examining the cultural experiences of Armenian Americans prioritize the collection of representative samples and validation of measures for use in this population.

Citation Style

APA

Recommended Citation

Kirakosyan, Tsolak Michael, "Ethnic identity and stress appraisal as acculturative stress processes among Armenian Americans" (2020). Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects. 380.
https://digitalcommons.humboldt.edu/etd/380