Mind4Youth

Written By: Lisa Gordon

Have you ever felt like you were standing at a crossroads, pulled in two directions by cultures, languages and identities. As a person  of Nigerian descent, raised in various different countries, I’ve often found myself stuck between two worlds. The world where my Nigerian heritage lies, rich with impactful traditions, costumes and distinct yet beautiful language, and the world of the countries I have lived in, each with their own traditions and norms. This experience aligns with a psychological phenomenon known as acculturative stress, which is defined by ScienceDirect.com as “ stressors associated with being an immigrant or ethnic minority and going through the acculturation process. ” But how does acculturation affect mental health, and what can we learn from this process?

In this article, I will unpack Berry’s Acculturation Model, how it impacts one’s mental health, and draw on the Lueck and Willson (2010) study, which in turn, discovers some interesting insights about acculturative stress in Asian immigrants and Asian Americans. I will also reflect on my own personal experience of a nomadic child, still trying to understand the balance between two worlds. 

Berry’s Acculturation Model: The Pathways of Cultural Adaptation

Berry’s Acculturation Model is a well-established idea, to help understand how individuals from one specific culture may adjust to live in another. In simple words, it describes how people navigate the hardships of living between various cultures, the mental health dangers that may follow. According to Berry, people generally fall into one of four strategies when adapting to a new culture: 

As a child who was constantly moving at the time, I found myself in an “integration” phase constantly. I kept my Nigerian roots—eating my favorite Nigerian foods, appreciating my native music, and maintaining strong family ties—while also absorbing aspects of the new cultures I was met with in the various countries. But the pressure to fit in with local norms, especially when I found myself between nigerian and the local culture, led to alot of mental strain on myself. 

Acculturation Stress: A Constant Tug-of-War

The constant juggling act between the various cultures often resulted in acculturative stress. It’s the feeling of internal conflict, unsure of where you belong, who you were and how to interact with others. For me, the challenge wasn’t just the ability to adapt to a new language or custom, but also the emotional toll it took on my mental health. 

Acculturative stress can come in many ways: feelings of alienation, anxiety, depression and identity confusion. The mental strains come from many factors such as; language barriers, discrimination or being judged due to the cultural stereotypes often persuaded in the media. The challenge to adapt while also keeping my cultural identity close to my chest, was often overwhelming and the cultural misunderstanding didn’t help it. 

Lueck and Wilson’s 2010 Study: Uncovering the Roots of Acculturative Stress

The Lueck and Wilson (2010)  study reveals powerful information into the factors that affect acculturative stress, particularly amongst many Asian immigrants and Asian Americans. The study consisted of around 2,000 participants, specifically first-generation immigrants, as well as participants born in the U.S to immigrant parents. The researchers had semi-structured interviews with the participants to assess the levels of acculturative stress and analysed factors such as; language proficiency, discrimination, family cohesion, and socioeconomic status. 

The findings wee quit fascination: 

• Language Proficiency: One of the major predictors of lower acculturative stress was bilingualism. Those who were able to speak in both their native language and English showed lower stress levels. This bilingual ability allowed for stronger connections with their culture while also integrating into a more broader society. 
• Discrimination: Prejudice and discrimination was a profound stressor. Those who experience xenophobia, harassment, or negative treatment showed much higher acculturative stress levels. 
• Family Cohesion: Strong family bonds and values were associated with much lower stress levels, Immigrants who showed a much tighter bond with their family tended to experience less anxiety when adjusting to a new culture.
• Economic Opportunities: Individuals who were happy with their economic prospects in the U.S. experienced much lower stress levels. Financial security allowed them to better adapt and create a more stable life. 

Surprisingly, the study showed that individuals who had a preference for only speaking English (rather than opting for bilingualism) correlated with higher acculturative stress levels. Without the ability to build connections with their native language, many individuals struggled to discuss personal or sensitive matters with their families, thus resulting in feelings of isolation. 

My Nomadic Life: The Struggles of Cultural Adaptation

Reflecting on my own personal life, I can also relate to the many findings from Leuck and Wilson’s study. Being a nomadic child meant I was constantly moving, adapting and reconciling with my Nigerian heritage and the various cultures that surrounded me. Although I spoke mostly English, learning Nigerian pidgin English also helped me connect to my family and community, but sometimes the lack of understanding in a place’s cultural background sometimes led to feelings of exclusion.

Discrimination was also another factor I did have to face. Whether it was being teased for my big kinky hair or feeling like an outsider because of my Nigerian roots, I often felt mentally drained by the need to constantly move my mind and place myself in a new environment. It definitely was a hurdle I had to learn to jump. 

On the positive note, Having many family members and friends allowed me to weather these challenges. They provided me with love and support—acting as an anchor—needed to adapt to these new cultures. This sense of familial cohesion—something emphasized in the study—helped reduce the stress I had felt, even when I was in unfamiliar places very far from home. 

Lessons Learned: Navigating Acculturation with Resilience

The journey of acculturation is not linear, nor is it easy. But by understanding the cards at the table–how cultural identity, language, discrimination and family cohesion all shape our experiences—we can then understand this process and  reduce our stress levels that add as a result. Hee are a few takeaways I have learnt: 

• Bilingualism and Cultural Flexibility: Being able to speak both ur native language and language shared in ur new culture will allow for many more opportunities to arise, allowing for meaningful communication, maintaining cultural roots. 
• The Impact of Discrimination: Experiences of prejudice and discrimination can increase our acculturative stress massively. It is very important to emphasise the need to address these issues and work together to create a more inclusive environment for immigrants. 
• The Power of Family: A supportive group of family and friends can act as a shield against acculturative stress. Shared values and strong emotional bonds will help create a rather strong foundation for resilience in the face of many cultural challenges. 
• Economic Stability: Financial Stability is good to provide a sense of safety and the ability to access the resources an immigrants may need to adjust to their new developed lifestyle. 

For me, the process of acculturation was a constant balancing act, but one that paved the way for who I am today. Yes, it was rather stressful at times, but it also made me more resilient, adaptable and aware of complexities of cultural identity. And although the path to integration wasn’t always an easy one, it taught me that there is strength in navigating between the two worlds and finding harmony between the two crossroads. 

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Sources

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Author links open overlay panelKerstin Lueck a, et al. “Acculturative Stress in Asian Immigrants: The Impact of Social and Linguistic Factors.” International Journal of Intercultural Relations, Pergamon, 22 Nov. 2009, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0147176709001187.

Culture Learning, Acculturative Stress, and Psychopathology: Three Perspectives on Acculturation – Ward – 1997 – Applied Psychology – Wiley Online Library, iaap-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1464-0597.1997.tb01094.x. Accessed 17 Feb. 2025.

“The Oxford Handbook of Acculturation and Health.” Google Books, Google, books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=gl0vDwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA15&dq=Berry%E2%80%99s%2BAcculturation%2BModel&ots=t4la1zcjDN&sig=zXAEAQ_jtQzEv05np-hTA7Fm4Y8#v=onepage&q=Berry%E2%80%99s%20Acculturation%20Model&f=false. Accessed 17 Feb. 2025.

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