Acculturation and Mental Health Across Immigrant, Refugee, and International Student Populations: A Bibliometric–Systematic Review

Alfiesyahrianta Habibie, Hairani Lubis, Aulia Suhesty, Nanik Handayani, Rika Aulia Sari

Abstract


Acculturation research has grown from a niche interest within cross-cultural psychology into a recurring reference point for clinicians and educators working with mobile populations. This review combines bibliometric mapping with a systematic synthesis of studies linking acculturation to mental health outcomes among immigrants, refugees, ethnic minorities, and international students. A Scopus search covering 2016–2026 yielded 65 records; after we screened these against PICo eligibility criteria, 49 empirical studies remained for analysis. Publication output rose sharply after 2023, with the United States anchoring nearly two-thirds of the corpus and Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology serving as the field's most frequent outlet. Keyword co-occurrence patterns cluster around three recurring mechanisms: acculturative stress as a proximal risk factor for depressive and anxious symptoms, ethnic or bicultural identity integration as a buffering resource, and discrimination as a contextual amplifier that interacts with both. Findings further show that outcomes for the same acculturation orientation diverge by generational status, migration circumstance (voluntary versus forced), and host-society receptiveness, indicating that no single acculturation strategy is uniformly protective. Organizations serving immigrant-origin populations, from universities to mental health services, should treat acculturation as a multidimensional and context-dependent process rather than a single score to be optimized.

Penelitian akulturasi telah berkembang dari minat khusus dalam psikologi lintas budaya menjadi titik rujukan berulang bagi klinisi dan pendidik yang bekerja dengan populasi mobil. Tinjauan ini menggabungkan pemetaan bibliometrik dengan sintesis sistematis atas studi-studi yang mengaitkan akulturasi dengan luaran kesehatan mental pada imigran, pengungsi, minoritas etnis, dan mahasiswa internasional. Pencarian Scopus yang mencakup 2016–2026 menghasilkan 65 rekaman; setelah kami menyaringnya menggunakan kriteria kelayakan PICo, tersisa 49 studi empiris untuk dianalisis. Jumlah publikasi meningkat pesat setelah 2023, dengan Amerika Serikat menjadi pusat hampir dua pertiga korpus dan Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology sebagai outlet paling sering di bidang ini. Pola ko-occurence kata kunci mengelompok pada tiga mekanisme yang berulang: stres akulturatif sebagai faktor risiko proksimal untuk gejala depresi dan kecemasan, integrasi identitas etnis atau bikultural sebagai sumber daya penyangga, dan diskriminasi sebagai penguat kontekstual yang berinteraksi dengan keduanya. Temuan lebih lanjut menunjukkan bahwa luaran untuk orientasi akulturasi yang sama dapat berbeda berdasarkan status generasi, kondisi migrasi (sukarela versus terpaksa), dan keterbukaan masyarakat penerima, yang mengindikasikan bahwa tidak ada satu strategi akulturasi yang secara universal protektif. Organisasi yang melayani populasi dengan latar belakang imigran, mulai dari universitas hingga layanan kesehatan jiwa, seharusnya memperlakukan akulturasi sebagai proses multidimensional dan bergantung konteks, bukan sebagai satu angka yang harus dioptimalkan.


Keywords


Acculturation; Acculturative Stress; Mental Health; Ethnic Identity; International Student

Full Text:

FULL TEXT

References


Çapar, D., Nazaroğlu, R., Caner, H. N., & Caner, M. (2026). Navigating diversity among nationally diverse children in schools: Voices of teachers, counselors, and students. Acta Psychologica, 264. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2026.106529

Cariello, A. N., Perrin, P. B., Williams, C. D., Espinoza, G. A., Morlett-Paredes, A., Moreno, O. A., & Trujillo, M. A. (2020). Moderating Influence of Enculturation on the Relations Between Minority Stressors and Physical Health via Anxiety in Latinx Immigrants. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 26(3), 356–366. https://doi.org/10.1037/cdp0000308

Cavdar, D., McKeown, S., & Rose, J. (2021). Mental health outcomes of ethnic identity and acculturation among British-born children of immigrants from Turkey. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, 2021(176), 141–161. https://doi.org/10.1002/cad.20402

Chang, D. F., Ng, N., Chen, T., Hung, T., Miao, I. Y., Cao, Y., & Zhang, Y. (2020). Let Nature Take Its Course: Cultural Adaptation and Pilot Test of Taoist Cognitive Therapy for Chinese American Immigrants With Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Frontiers in Psychology, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.547852

Choi, Y., Park, M., Lee, J. P., Yasui, M., & Kim, T. Y. (2018). Explicating Acculturation Strategies among Asian American Youth: Subtypes and Correlates across Filipino and Korean Americans. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 47(10), 2181–2205. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-018-0862-1

Deng, Z. (2025). Cultural identity and psychological adaptation among international students learning Chinese: A mixed-methods study. Environment and Social Psychology, 10(3). https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v10i3.3385

Emmer, C., Mann, F., Edelinski, K., & Mata, J. (2026). Well-being and cultural identity in migrant acculturative stress: A daily diary study. Psychology & Health. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2026.2677233

Hou, Y., Kim, S. Y., & Wang, Y. (2016). Parental Acculturative Stressors and Adolescent Adjustment Through Interparental and Parent–Child Relationships in Chinese American Families. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 45(7), 1466–1481. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-016-0441-2

Huq, N., Stein, G. L., & Gonzalez, L. M. (2016). Acculturation Conflict Among Latino Youth: Discrimination, Ethnic Identity, and Depressive Symptoms. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 22(3), 377–385. https://doi.org/10.1037/cdp0000070

Jardin, C., Mayorga, N. A., Bakhshaie, J., Garey, L., Viana, A. G., Sharp, C., Cardoso, J. B., & Zvolensky, M. J. (2018). Clarifying the relation of acculturative stress and anxiety/depressive symptoms: The role of anxiety sensitivity among hispanic college students. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 24(2), 221–230. https://doi.org/10.1037/cdp0000175

Jin, R., Wei, J., Wang, X., & Le, T.-T. (2024). The darkness of reacculturation: examining factors influencing depression among Chinese international student returnees in the post-COVID-19 era. Frontiers in Psychology, 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1407742

Jo, W. G., Ahn, J., & Lee, W. H. (2026). Acculturative stress and social isolation in multicultural adolescents: A moderated mediation model of social withdrawal and in-school support. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 110, 102324. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2025.102324

Kim, S., Rodríguez-Guzmán, V. M., Hamm, T., & Nugent, N. R. (2020). Childhood trauma and the role of ethnic pride and interpersonal relationships among Latina mothers. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0000954

Li, J., Xue, E., & He, Y. (2023). Adjustment to Chinese Culture and Mental Health Issues among Foreign Students on Chinese University Campuses during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Collaborative Ethnographic Study. Behavioral Sciences, 13(7). https://doi.org/10.3390/bs13070526

Maas, J., van Assen, M. A. L. M., van Balkom, A. J. L. M., Rutten, E. A. P., & Bekker, M. H. J. (2019). Autonomy–Connectedness, Self-Construal, and Acculturation: Associations With Mental Health in a Multicultural Society. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 50(1), 80–99. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022118808924

International Organization for Migration (IOM). (2024). World Migration Report 2024. https://worldmigrationreport.iom.int/

Miller, A., & Saling, L. L. (2025). Acculturative stress and identity challenges undermine the successful reintegration of Australian veterans. Psychological Services, 22(3), 596–607. https://doi.org/10.1037/ser0000888

Oppedal, B., Keles, S., & Røysamb, E. (2022). Subjective Well-Being Among Unaccompanied Refugee Youth: Longitudinal Associations With Discrimination and Ethnic Identity Crisis. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.920657

Ozer, S., Benet-Martínez, V., & Schwartz, S. J. (2021). The Challenge of Being Both Local and Global: Bicultural Identity Integration among Indigenous Ladakhi Youth in Delhi. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 52(7), 680–700. https://doi.org/10.1177/00220221211025760

Ozer, S., Meca, A., & Schwartz, S. J. (2019). Globalization and identity development among emerging adults from Ladakh. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 25(4), 515–526. https://doi.org/10.1037/cdp0000261

Ozer, S., & Schwartz, S. J. (2022). Identity development in the era of globalization: Globalization-based acculturation and personal identity development among Danish emerging adults. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 19(1), 22–42. https://doi.org/10.1080/17405629.2020.1858405

Ramos, D., Wang, P., Garcia, E. R., & Yim, I. S. (2025). Bicultural identity integration, depressive symptoms, and emotional eating among Asian and Latino undergraduate students in the U.S. Eating Behaviors, 56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eatbeh.2024.101940

Safa, M. D., White, R. M. B., Mahrer, N. E., Knight, G. P., Gonzales, N. A., & Pasco, M. C. (2019). U.S. Mexican-Origin Adolescents’ Bicultural Competence and Mental Health in Context. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 25(2), 299–310. https://doi.org/10.1037/cdp0000231

Şafak-Ayvazoğlu, A., Kunuroglu, F., & Yağmur, K. (2021). Psychological and socio-cultural adaptation of Syrian refugees in Turkey. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 80, 99–111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2020.11.003

Soubra, N., Tavitian-Elmadjian, L., & Adams, B. (2024). The proximal distant: How does remote acculturation affect wellbeing in the multicultural context of Lebanon? Current Research in Ecological and Social Psychology, 6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cresp.2024.100183

Specker, P., Kurt, G., Liddell, B. J., Keegan, D., Nandyatama, R., Yuanita, A., Rachmah, R. A., Hoffman, J., Kashyap, S., Tricesaria, D., Khakbaz, M., Pestalozzi, Z., & Nickerson, A. (2026). The longitudinal relationship between economic and social stressors, emotion dysregulation and mental health among refugees in protracted displacement. Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences, 35, e14. https://doi.org/10.1017/S2045796026100493

Thornhill, C. W., Castillo, L. G., Piña-Watson, B., Manzo, G., & Cano, M. Á. (2022). Mental health among Latinx emerging adults: Examining the role of familial accusations of assimilation and ethnic identity. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 78(5), 892–912. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.23271

Wang, P., Chen, C., & Yim, I. S. (2025). The role of acculturative stress and self-construal in maladaptive eating behaviors among female young adults in diverse college settings. Appetite, 206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2024.107844

Wang, P., Garcia, E. R., & Yim, I. S. (2022). Acculturative stress and eating disinhibition among Asian young adults: The role of depressive symptoms and gender. Appetite, 169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2021.105826

Ward, C., Kim, I., & Stuart, J. (2025). Diversity-receptiveness in higher education: Perceived multicultural norms, well-being and attitudes toward international students. Social Psychology of Education, 28(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-024-09979-z

Xue, X., Cheah, C. S. L., & Hart, C. H. (2024). Risk and Protective Processes in the Link Between Racial Discrimination and Chinese American Mothers’ Psychologically Controlling Parenting. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 30(1), 143–155. https://doi.org/10.1037/cdp0000545

Zheng, J., Wang, S., & Wang, Z. (2025). Between heritage and belonging: Cultural identity reconstruction among Malaysian Chinese across generations. Acta Psychologica, 261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2025.105895

Zong, X., Cheah, C. S. L., & Ren, H. (2022). Chinese American Adolescents’ Experiences of COVID-19-Related Racial Discrimination and Anxiety: Person-Centered and Intersectional Approaches. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 32(2), 451–469. https://doi.org/10.1111/jora.12696

Zvolensky, M. J., Jardin, C., Rogers, A. H., Bakhshaie, J., Mayorga, N. A., Viana, A. G., Walker, R. L., Cardoso, J. B., & Garey, L. (2018). Anxiety sensitivity and acculturative stress among trauma exposed latinx young adults. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 24(4), 470–476. https://doi.org/10.1037/cdp0000208




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.30872/psikoborneo.v14i3.27338

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2026 Alfiesyahrianta Habibie et all

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Psikoborneo: Jurnal Ilmiah Psikologi indexed by :

Moraref Crossref One Search OpenArchives Sinta GoogleScholar Dimensions Garuda Portal-ISSN Base

Creative Commons License

Psikoborneo: Jurnal Ilmiah Psikologi published by Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Mulawarman, Samarinda, East Kalimantan. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

________________________________________

Psikoborneo: Jurnal Ilmiah Psikologi

Department of Psychology
Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Mulawarman
Jl. Muara Muntai Kampus Gn. Kelua Samarinda 75411
Phone: +62 813 35350368
E-Mail: psikoborneo@gmail.com / psikoborneo@fisip.unmul.ac.id