Enabling immigrants to overcome participation

challenges, Jyothi Gupta and Catherine Sullivan

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jyothi_Gupta/public
ation/264300493_OTPractice_Immigrants/links/53d7c07e
0cf2631430bfc22b.pdf
Berrys model on acculturation is helpful to inform occupational therapy
practice with immigrant populations because it addresses occupational
adaptation and has been found to be linked to health.

It uses two dimensions along which immigrants identify strategies to deal with
acculturation.

1.
2.
3.

4.

The first is the degree of preservation of their cultural heritage

the second is the level of relationships they will develop with the larger
society.
When immigrants want to maintain their cultural heritage, yet also regularly
interact with others in the host culture, they are opting for integration.
If immigrants want only to maintain their cultural heritage and do not value
interaction with others in the larger society, they are choosing separation.
One extreme approach is assimilation, in which immigrants give up their
original cultural heritage and completely adopt the identity and customs of the
dominant culture.
A negative response to both approaches indicates marginalization, where
immigrants value neither their cultural heritage nor interactions and
essentially drop out of society.

Research has shown that in the long term, separation, assimilation, or

marginalization result in mental health issues such as feelings of alienation and
depression. It appears that integration is the optimal strategy for crosscultural adjustment and health.

Successful adaptation of immigrants depends on a variety of

factors,
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including internal or personal resources

environmental enablers (e.g., a local community of immigrants from their
home country)
constraints (e.g., not knowing the language of the host country)
the degree of difference between the host country and their country of
origin.

Nesdale and Mak11 have shown that personal self-esteem determines an

immigrants psychological health.
When new immigrants are able to successfully engage in doing meaningful
occupations with competence to their satisfaction, their health and well-being
are positively affected.
in 2001 the authors decided to complement the existing research by initiating an
Immigrant Research Project in the form of a series of studies using an
occupational science perspective. With the help of six occupational therapy
students, we conducted six separate qualitative studies over 6 years with various
categories of immigrants from four continents. A total of 30 women were
interviewed in depth, and the results were analyzed and written up in several
masters theses.

(Table 1 illustrates selected examples in the performance areas of socialization,

work, and instrumental activities of daily living [IADL].)

They used the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process to
organize and link the research evidence, both from the literature and their own
studies, with possible strategies for intervention.
The topics they covered were:
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(a) occupation and health, including occupational routines, habits, and

roles;
(b) culture, family, and identity;
(c) food preparation, eating habits, mealtime routines, and health;
(d) work and productive occupations.

The classes included:

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a short didactic segment

an activity (i.e., craft, demonstration, or role play)
discussions where group members shared their experiences.

Our fi ndings, in line with the literature, indicated that one major
challenge for most immigrants is
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establishing social connections and support networks in a culture

where the socialization and friendship rules are often unfamiliar
to them, and where the attitude toward foreigners is not always
welcoming.
How to deal with changes of role expectations

We found that although spending time with people of their own culture helps
immigrants communicate their thoughts in more complex ways and maintain
shared occupations, most are also eager to forge ties with native residents, and
employment is viewed as the easiest way to accomplish this.

When immigrants are searching for jobs, occupational

therapy practitioners can
identify occupations such as volunteering or doing crafts that would help
satisfy their need for self-efficacy and may also provide a pathway to paid
employment; (WORKSHOPS)
match individuals credentials from their home country to jobs that are the
most compatible with their occupational interests and aptitudes;
Prepare individuals to meet culturally appropriate workplace expectations
by helping with :
rsum writing
interview skills
workplace communication
teamwork expectations
Occupational therapy practitioners can teach proper body mechanics,
injury prevention, and the maintenance of a healthy routine.
o (For example, after a Burmese attendee of our wellness group, who is
a night shift worker in a food packing factory, learned of the
importance of sleep for health, he orchestrated his day differently to
increase his sleeping time from 5 to 7 hours)
Practitioners can also inform immigrants about relevant workplace
legislation. Many immigrants, legal or otherwise, may be unaware of
their rights or may have a difficult time negotiating with employers,
due to their limited English.