Immigration and attendant psychological sequelae: a comparison of three waves of Iraqi immigrants

Acculturation, the process by which individuals or groups transition from one or more cultures into another, can be complex and often stressful. In many cases, reason for immigration can contribute, both positively and negatively, to levels of acculturative stress. Immigrants to the United States from Iraq over the past several decades have shifted in terms of prevalence, reason for and ease of immigration, and pre and postmigration trauma among individuals and groups. The authors examined the psychological by-products of acculturative stress by measuring posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression among three distinct waves of immigrants from Iraq. The authors found support for the hypotheses that these variables were positively correlated with recency of immigration. Implications for psychological practitioners are discussed.