Acculturation, family relations, and mental health of Chinese older adults in the United States

本拟议R21应用程序的总体目标是对 美国最大和最全面的人口研究（PINE研究），以确定 老年移民在家庭关系模式方面的差异集群，并确定家庭关系 与良好的心理健康结果相关的模式。更具体地说，使用潜在类 分析，一种具有巨大潜力的统计工具，但很少用于家庭研究或移民中 该建议涉及三个具体目标：1）确定家庭的不同模式（潜在类别） 基于结构性、联想性、功能性、情感性和规范性团结的关系; 2） 检查文化适应因素（在美国居住的时间长短，移民年龄，移民原因， 文化适应）预测目标1中确定的每种家庭关系模式; 3）确定家庭关系模式 与良好的心理健康结果相关（即，抑郁、焦虑、孤独、压力， 老年人的生活质量。 在美国，华人是一个增长迅速但研究不足的少数民族， 心理健康问题的发生率。作为大多数老龄化移民，中国老年人的福祉是 由于文化偏好、经济限制、语言隔离， 获得正式服务的机会有限。老年移民及其家庭在流动的社会环境中生活。 在文化适应过程中，家庭关系被重塑，甚至导致不同的家庭经历。 在同一个民族中。我们对老年移民中这种异质性的了解， 它们对心理健康的影响基本上是缺乏的。这一明显的研究差距进一步加剧了 小的，非概率样本，已被用于大多数现有的研究，以及使用一个单一的- 多维方法，侧重于家庭关系的离散层面，而不考虑家庭关系的基本因素。 可能具有不同尺寸的形状的结构。为了解决这些差距，我们将使用两波 PINE的面板数据（N > 2，700），以通过以下方式识别处于较高心理健康风险的老年人群体： 使用一种新的统计模型方法，提供了一个统一的，全面的评估， 多维家庭关系，并通过识别不同家庭关系类型的预测因子， 从长远来看，最“最佳”的家庭关系类型有利于心理健康。这项提案的结论是， 将告知研究人员、临床医生、社会服务提供者和政策制定者：a）更好地识别高危老年人 B）更好地了解种族歧视的性质， 老年移民的老龄化和难以衡量的家庭进程，c）开发新的方法， 研究/实践，以提高迅速增加的移民人口的成功老龄化，通过一个完善的 家庭透镜。

The overall objective of this proposed R21 application is to conduct a secondary data analysis of the largest and most comprehensive population study (PINE Study) of US Chinese older adults to identify differential clusters of aging immigrants in terms of family relation patterns and to identify family relation pattern that is associated with favorable mental health outcomes. More specifically, using latent class analysis, a statistical tool that holds great potential, yet rarely used in family studies or among immigrant populations, this proposal addresses three specific aims: 1) Identify different patterns (latent classes) of family relations based on a combination of structural, associational, functional, affectional, and normative solidary; 2) Examine acculturation factors (length of residence in the US, age at migration, reasons for migration, levels of acculturation) that predict each pattern of family relations identified in Aim 1; 3) Identify family relation pattern that is associated with favorable mental health outcomes (i.e., depression, anxiety, loneliness, stress, and quality of life) of older adults. Chinese is a rapidly growing but under-studied minority subpopulation in the U.S. with relatively high rates of mental health problems. As most aging immigrants, the well-being of Chinese older adults is intrinsically linked with their families due to cultural preferences, economic constraints, linguistic isolation, and limited access to formal services. Older immigrants and their families function in a fluid social environment. Family relations are reshaped in the acculturation process, resulting in divergent family experiences even within the same ethnic group. Our knowledge regarding such heterogeneities among older immigrants and their implications for mental health is essentially lacking. This marked research gap is further exacerbated by small, non-probability samples that have been used in most existing studies, as well as the use of a single- dimensional approach that focuses on discrete dimensions of family relations without considering underlying structures that may have shaped different dimensions. To address these gaps, we will use the two-wave panel data of the PINE (N > 2,700) to identify clusters of older adults who are at higher mental health risks by using a novel statistical model approach that provides a unified, comprehensive assessment of the multidimensional family relations, and by identifying the predictors of different family relation types, and the most “optimal” family relation type that benefits mental health in the long run. The findings from this proposal will inform researchers, clinicians, social service providers, and policy makers to a) better identify at-risk older immigrants for targeted and tailored assessment and interventions, b) better understand the nature of ethnic aging and hard-to-measure family processes among older immigrants, c) develop new ways of research/practice to enhance successful aging of rapidly increasing immigrant populations through a refined family lens.