Acculturation, self-regulation, and depression among Turkish older immigrants: An SEM study

This study explores the effect of acculturation attitudes and self-regulation strategies on depression among older Turkish immigrants in Germany. The study comprised 195 immigrants (105 women and 90 men) aged 75 + of Turkish origin, who participated in structured face-to-face interviews. A structural equation model (SEM) was conducted to examine the associations between latent variables and depressive symptoms. Flexibility in self-regulation played a protective role in depressive symptoms, while higher levels of orientation toward host culture was significantly related to depressive symptoms. Tenaciousness in self-regulation and orientation towards the culture of origin did not serve as significant predictors of depressive symptoms. However, a stronger orientation towards the host culture was associated with heightened self-regulation strategies. Further research should focus on the effect of self-regulation strategies on acculturation attitudes and depression.