Primary prevention of acculturative stress among refugees: application of psychological theory and practice
Abstract
Primary prevention in refugee mental health requires information from clinical, health, and cross-cultural psychology. Primary prevention's roots are in public health, which is distinguished by a communitywide perspective for addressing mental health concerns. This article summarizes research suggesting that refugees are an at-risk population, making them especially suitable for public health interventions. Research on stress and acculturation is highlighted, given its importance to prevention in refugee mental health. The opportunities for primary prevention programs and policies at 3 levels (i.e., local community, national, and international) are illustrated with case examples from both the United States and Canada. Prevention at the international level is highlighted by a World Health Organization Mental Health Mission to camps on the Thai-Cambodian border.
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When a dominant group damages a group's cultural institutions via cultural trauma, survivors may be brought into the dominant group's institutions in subservient roles and status, exposing them to acculturative stress, social disadvantage, and health-depriving discrimination and racism.
“Additionally, when a dominant group damages a group’s cultural institutions via cultural trauma, survivors may be brought into the dominant group’s institutions in subservient roles and status (Berry, 1989); exposing these individuals to potential acculturative stress, social disadvantage, and health-depriving discrimination and racism (Berry, 1989; Williams and Berry, 1991).”
From Cultural trauma as a fundamental cause of health disparities (2022) · cites this paper as Williams and Berry, 1991
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Crockett, L. J., Iturbide, M. I., Torres Stone, R. A., McGinley, M., Raffaelli, M., & Carlo, G. (2007) · Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology · doi:10.1037/1099-9809.13.4.347 · Cited by 627 · see citing works
Dennis, C.-L., Hodnett, E., Kenton, L., Weston, J., Zupancic, J., Stewart, D. E., & Kiss, A. (2009) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.a3064 · Cited by 386 · see citing works
Betancourt, T. S., Abdi, S., Ito, B. S., Lilienthal, G. M., Agalab, N., & Ellis, H. (2015) · Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology · doi:10.1037/a0037538 · Cited by 374 · see citing works
“P A A uthor M anuscript acculturative stress (Williams & Berry, 1991).”
BackgroundAcculturative Stress, Depression, and Suicidal Ideation Among Central American Immigrants
Hovey, J. D. (2000) · Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior · doi:10.1111/j.1943-278x.2000.tb01071.x · Cited by 167 · see citing works
Cultural trauma as a fundamental cause of health disparities
Subica, A. M., & Link, B. G. (2022) · Social Science & Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114574 · Cited by 123 · see citing works
“Additionally, when a dominant group damages a group’s cultural institutions via cultural trauma, survivors may be brought into the dominant group’s institutions in subservient roles and status (Berry, 1989); exposing these individuals to potential acculturative stress, social disadvantage, and health-depriving discrim…”
BackgroundCulture, Context, and the Internalizing Distress of Mexican American Youth
Polo, A. J., & López, S. R. (2009) · Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology · doi:10.1080/15374410802698370 · Cited by 113 · see citing works
Efficacy of a school-based primary prevention program for coping with exposure to political violence
Slone, M., & Shoshani, A. (2008) · International Journal of Behavioral Development · doi:10.1177/0165025408090976 · Cited by 48 · see citing works
Parenting in a New Land: Specialized Services for Immigrant and Refugee Families in the USA
Critelli, F. M. (2015) · Journal of International Migration and Integration · doi:10.1007/s12134-014-0359-z · Cited by 20 · see citing works
- Authors
- Williams, C. L., & Berry, J. W.
- Affiliations
- University of Minnesota (US)
- ORCID
- Berry, J. W.
- Venue
- American Psychologist
- Published
- 1991-06
- Volume
- 46
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 632-641
- ISSN
- 0003-066X (ISSN-L)
- 1935-990X
- OpenAlex
- W2011680108
- Cited by
- 624
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 22 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 23 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 27 · 2017: 20 · 2016: 35 · 2015: 33 · 2014: 30 · 2013: 31 · 2012: 35
- FWCI
- 6.86
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- American Psychologist (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Migration, Health and Trauma
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Racial and Ethnic Identity Research
- Social Sciences › Education › Education and experiences of immigrants and refugees
- Keywords
- primary prevention, acculturative stress, refugees, refugee mental health, acculturation, public health interventions, cross-cultural psychology, vulnerable populations, mental health policy, refugee camps, Thai-Cambodian border
- MeSH terms
- Acculturation, Mental Disorders, Cambodia, Canada, Cross-Cultural Comparison, Emigration and Immigration, Humans, Refugees, Risk Factors, Thailand, United States
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