An exploratory study on the psychological and marital experiences of Filipino mail-order brides in the United States

This study explored the psychological and marital experiences of nine Filipino mail-order brides in the United States, all of whom were married to Caucasian men. Each participant completed the SL-ASIA, the AVS, and a 2-hour interview that looked at their life in the Philippines, the mail-order bride process, and their life in the United States. On the SL-ASIA, most women identified with both Asian and Western cultures and neither agreed nor disagreed with Asian values on the AVS. Also, most women had a 4-year college education; identified as being Christian; and had negative views of Filipinos and the lifestyle in the Philippines. The data highlighted the ethic of hard work to survive; the adaptive properties of secondary methods of control and colonial mentality; and creating a "good enough" environment. The use of cultural elements as transitional objects and their husbands as integraticmal objects helped buffer acculturative stress. Two women were divorced, a separation initiated by their husbands. Conflicts included child-rearing, sending money to their families in the Philippines, and issues their husbands had that the women were not aware of before their marriage. Marital conflicts could be explained by the attachment styles both host members and immigrants. Of the two couples who participated in marriage counseling and the woman who received individual therapy, only one couple felt it was helpful. Some women insisted that they receive marital advice only from their religious community. The women's quick adaptation to American life could be explained by their dismissive attachment style towards the Philippines. Anxiety was adaptive and motivated the women to work hard to overcome obstacles. Homesickness was characterized by depression, resulting in the women "splitting" between the Philippines and the United States. The women were highly resourceful and sought support from friends, family, and church.