Psychosocial Adjustment of Hmong Refugees during Their First Decade in the United States

Over their first decade in the United States, 100 Hmong refugees were studied on three occasions. Data included demographic characteristics, acculturation skills, traditional affiliations and pastimes, material acquisitions, psychosocial problems, and self-rating scales. In addition to a description of the data changes, a multiple regression analysis was performed. Changes demonstrated considerable evidence of acculturation, psychiatric care seeking, and greatly reduced symptom levels for several symptom complexes. However, a large minority of subjects remain illiterate, unable to speak English, generally involved with other Hmong but not with the majority society, and/or have high symptom levels on self-rating scales. Regarding symptom changes, depression, somatization, phobia, and self-esteem symptoms improved the most with time and acculturation. On the contrary, anxiety, hostility, and paranoid symptoms changed little. Multiple regression analyses indicated that strong traditional ties (e.g., large household size, being an herbal healer), older age, marital problems, and medical complaints were most associated with high symptom levels.