Yaryna Andrushko
All Authors:Yaryna Andrushko, Stephanie T. Lanza. The Pennsylvania State University
Introduction:
Ukraine's protracted war, which began in 2014, has resulted in a significant wave of internal and external displacement. This study explores the intricate relationship between resilience, acculturation processes, and trauma experiences among people who have been forced to migrate from Ukraine to the United States in the face of wartime conflict.
Methods:
To identify the key indicators of resilience among Ukrainians in the United States, we used quantitative methods to collect contemporary empirical data from 502 participants (46% male, 54% female; mean age = 27 years, range = 18-58); 4.6% had been living in the US for less than one year, 66% for 1-2 years, 4.6% for 4-6 years, and 2.4% for 6 or more years. Most (76%) reported their experience of forced migration as traumatic, 20% reported it was not traumatic, and 4% were unsure. Resilience and stress resistance, based on J. Berry’s acculturation scales, were associated. Specifically, a positive correlation was found between integration and resilience (r = .156, p < .01) and between assimilation and stress resistance (r = .93, p < .01). However, several contradictions existed related to individuals’ psychological state and functioning: an inverse relationship between the life satisfaction and resilience (r = -.249, p < .01) and between the perception of discrimination and stress resistance (r = -.200, p < .01).
Results:
The acculturation process is significantly associated with the way individuals cope with and recover from trauma. Factors such as language acquisition, cultural adaptation, social integration, and the availability of support networks likely play pivotal protective roles against the negative effects of trauma experienced by Ukrainian migrants. Additionally, collective identity and resilience are associated with acculturation trajectories, highlighting the importance of cultural preservation and connection to one’s homeland in the face of traumatic migration.
Conclusions:
This study underscores the need for resilience-building interventions and support services that consider the unique challenges faced by Ukrainian migrants during wartime. In conclusion, our findings help explain the intricate associations between migration, acculturation, and trauma, underscoring the opportunity to strengthen resilience and agency of Ukrainian migrants, while highlighting the importance of comprehensive support for adaptation and healing in the context of ongoing war. Findings will likely inform support provision for individuals from other countries as well.