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Disentangling the effects of primary and secondary international migration on psychological distress: the role of mastery

  • Quantitative Research
  • Published:
Canadian Journal of Public Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objectives

This study examined the effect of mode of migration—primary immigration (direct migration from origin country) and secondary immigration (migration from a country of residence other than the origin country)—by level of economic development of country of origin on psychological distress of immigrants to Canada. The study focused on the explanatory role of mastery in the relationship between mode of migration/level of economic development of origin country and distress. Mastery is the belief that one can and does master, control, and shape one’s own life.

Methods

Data from the Neighbourhood Effects on Health and Well-being study, which contains important measures such as the mode of migration, was used to assess the study objectives. The analytic sample included 1496 Canadian-born and 387 foreign-born (non-refugee) participants. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to address the study objectives.

Results

Results point to a “healthy immigrant effect”—lower distress among the foreign-born than the native-born—but only among primary immigrants from less-developed countries. Secondary immigrants from less-developed countries report higher distress than the native-born and their primary-immigrant counterparts. The higher distress among secondary immigrants was due in part to lower mastery among this group. Immigrants from developed origin countries did not report different levels of distress than the native-born, irrespective of mode of migration.

Conclusion

This study fills an important gap in the literature on immigration and mental health and reveals that the healthy immigrant effect is not generalizable to all immigrants; it is contingent on the mode of migration/level of economic development of the country of origin.

Résumé

Objectifs

Examiner l’effet du mode de migration – immigration primaire (migration directe du pays d’origine) et immigration secondaire (migration d’un pays de résidence autre que le pays d’origine) – selon le niveau de développement économique du pays d’origine sur la détresse psychologique des immigrants au Canada. L’étude porte sur le rôle explicatif de la « maîtrise de la situation » dans la relation entre, d’une part, le mode de migration et le niveau de développement économique du pays d’origine, et d’autre part, la détresse. La maîtrise de la situation est. la conviction de pouvoir maîtriser, contrôler et façonner sa propre vie.

Méthode

Les données de l’étude Neighbourhood Effects on Health and Well-being, qui contient d’importants indicateurs, comme le mode de migration, a servi à évaluer les objectifs de l’étude. L’échantillon analytique englobait 1496 participants nés au Canada et 387 participants (non réfugiés) nés à l’étranger. Les objectifs de l’étude ont été abordés par modélisation linéaire hiérarchique.

Résultats

Les résultats indiquent la présence d’un « effet de l’immigrant en bonne santé » – une détresse moins élevée chez les personnes nées à l’étranger que chez celles nées au Canada – mais seulement chez les immigrants primaires des pays en développement. Les immigrants secondaires des pays en développement font état d’une détresse plus élevée que les personnes nées au Canada et les immigrants primaires. La détresse plus élevée des immigrants secondaires s’explique en partie par la moins bonne maîtrise de la situation dans ce groupe. Les immigrants de pays développés ne font pas état de niveaux de détresse différents de ceux des personnes nées au Canada, peu importe le mode de migration.

Conclusion

L’étude comble une lacune importante dans la littérature sur l’immigration et la santé mentale: elle révèle que l’effet de l’immigrant en bonne santé n’est pas généralisable à tous les immigrants, mais dépend du mode de migration et du niveau de développement économique du pays d’origine.

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Acknowledgements

This research was funded by Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Grant MOP-84439 and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Grant 410-2007-1499 (Blair Wheaton, Patricia O’Campo, P.I’s).

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  1. Department of Sociology, Wayne State University, 2270 F/AB, 656 W. Kirby St, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA

    Shirin Montazer

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  1. Shirin Montazer
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Correspondence to Shirin Montazer.

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Montazer, S. Disentangling the effects of primary and secondary international migration on psychological distress: the role of mastery. Can J Public Health 109, 284–293 (2018). https://doi.org/10.17269/s41997-018-0057-2

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