Subjective Well-Being of Afghan Refugees in Pakistan: The Moderating Role of Perceived Control in Married Men

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of perceived control in moderating the effects of acculturative stress on the well-being of first generation Afghan married men refugees (N = 137, 25-50 years) residing in Lahore, Pakistan. The participants completed a survey questionnaire comprising a demographic information sheet, the Multidimensional Acculturative Stress Scale (Jibeen, Khalid, International Journal of Intercultural Relations 34:233-243, 2010), the Cognitive Stress Scale (Cohen et al., Journal of Health and Social Behavior 24:385-396, 1983), the Positive Affect & Negative Affect Schedule (Watson et al., Journal of Personality & Social Psychology 47:1063-1070, 1988), and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (Diener et al., Journal of Personality Assessment 49:1-5, 1985). The results of moderated regression analyses revealed that perceived control can reduce the effect of stressful circumstances on satisfaction with life and increase positive psychological affect. The results could have implications for developing social and clinical therapeutic interventions towards a greater sense of self-determination and positive well-being to improve the refugees' ability to take control of their lives.