Developmental Systems Approach Based Sociocultural Adjustment Scale for Migrant Adults: A Scale Development Study

Abstract

Despite the emphasis placed on the role of context in the acculturation process by some recent models, there remains a necessity for measurement tools that assess the cross-cultural adjustment of immigrant individuals from an ecological and systemic perspective. The objective of this study is to develop a scale to assess the sociocultural adjustment levels of adult immigrants. For this purpose, a total of 3380 adult immigrants living in Türkiye were included in the study. Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses were conducted to determine the factor structure of the scale by using the R 4.1.2 program. As a result of the analysis, a scale consisting of 14 items and 4 sub-dimensions (Adjustment to Country and Institutional System, Adjustment to Social System, Adjustment to Family System, and Adjustment within Individual System) was developed. The scale has demonstrated adequate psychometric properties and is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing immigrant adults' levels of cross-cultural adjustment. The features of the scale make it both a practical and comprehensive option for psychology researchers, counsellors and other mental health professionals, governments of host countries and policy makers.

Keywords

• acculturation
• sociocultural adjustment
• immigrant adults
• developmental systems approach
• ecologic approach

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