Psychological, sociocultural, and marital adaptation of Turkish immigrants in Canada

This study examined the acculturation and adaptation of married Turkish immigrants in Canada. A comparative approach was employed by incorporating the two sedentary reference groups of the Turkish migrant group: Turks in Turkey, and Euro-Canadians. In this sense it is the first complete study of acculturation. Data were collected through self-report questionnaires from three groups: 200 married Turkish immigrants and 90 married Euro-Canadians living in Toronto, Canada, and 114 married Turks living in Izmir, Turkey. Contrary to the general contention that migration inevitably results in negative outcomes, immigrant couples did not necessarily experience more difficulty due to acculturation than the sedentary groups. Psychologically, Turkish immigrant couples experienced no more difficulty than Turkish couples, yet experienced more difficulty than Euro-Canadian couples. They had more sociocultural difficulty than both sedentary groups. In terms of marital problems, they were not different from either group. The psychological, sociocultural, and marital adaptation of Turkish immigrant couples and also of immigrant men and women were also distinguished using simultaneous multiple regression and canonical correlation analyses. Consistent with stress and coping models, psychological adaptation of married couples was associated with hardiness, social support, acculturation attitudes, and discrimination. On the other hand, in line with social learning perspectives, sociocultural adaptation was mostly related to English proficiency and contact with members of the dominant group. Marital adaptation was mostly associated with marital stressors and marital support. There were differences in the differentiation of adaptation between males and females. This differentiation was more clear in men than in women; there were also different variables associated with the adaptation of men and women. Utilizing the basic socioeconomic distinction among professional and nonprofessional Turkish immigrants in Canada, the effects of socioeconomic status as well as gender were examined. The two social classes of immigrants had different acculturation experiences and adaptational outcomes. Gender differences were most apparent in the lower socioeconomic status group. Women in general were psychologically more vulnerable than men; the group that faces more risk factors were those women of low socioeconomic status. In terms of acculturation attitudes, Turkish immigrant couples strongly endorsed separation; however, those of high socioeconomic status preferred integration and assimilation to a greater, and separation to a lesser extent than those of low socioeconomic status. Euro-Canadian couples preferred immigrants to adopt integration. The greater incompatibility between the attitudes of Euro-Canadians and those of low socioeconomic status is likely to foster greater conflictual relations.