Acculturative Stress, Social Support, and Depression in Korean American Families

SUMMARY This paper investigates the role of social support and acculturative stress in predicting depressive symptomatology among Korean Americans. Results of data analysis confirm that: (1) Lack of social support is strongly correlated with high levels of acculturative stress; (2) Depressive symptomatology is correlated with lack of social support and with high levels of acculturative stress; (3) Social support alleviates acculturative stress; (4) Social support moderates stress, resulting in less depressive symptomatology. However, there is no significant difference in the moderating effect of social support on stress among Korean men and women. Social work practice implications are also discussed.