Mental health of Turkish women in Germany: resilience and risk factors

Eur Psychiatry. 2012 Jun:27 Suppl 2:S17-21. doi: 10.1016/S0924-9338(12)75703-6.

Abstract

Background: The purpose of the present study was to examine the protective and risk factors of mental distress among Turkish women living in Germany.

Method: 105 Turkish immigrant women living in Berlin were investigated with measures of extraversion/neuroticism (NEO-FFI), general self-efficacy (GSE), social support (BSSS), social strain (F-SOZU) and mental distress (GHQ-28). Interrelations between psychosocial variables were assessed using simple Pearson correlations.

Results: In all subjects, social strain (Pearson's r=.26(**), p=.008) and neuroticism (r=.34(**), p<.001) were positively associated with mental distress. In contrast, perceived self-efficacy (r=-.38(**), p<.001) and extraversion (r=-.36(**), p<.001) were negatively associated with mental distress.

Conclusion: Protective factors such as extraversion and self-efficacy seem to have a buffering effect on the process of migration. However, in addition to neuroticism, social strain seems to be positively associated with mental distress.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anxiety Disorders / ethnology
  • Anxiety Disorders / psychology
  • Emotions
  • Extraversion, Psychological
  • Female
  • Germany
  • Humans
  • Mental Health*
  • Middle Aged
  • Neuroticism
  • Resilience, Psychological*
  • Risk Factors
  • Self Efficacy*
  • Social Support
  • Stress, Psychological / ethnology
  • Stress, Psychological / psychology
  • Turkey / ethnology
  • Women / psychology*