Refugees resettling in a new society may risk encountering identity problems more than non-refugees, such as, identity distress and crisis and problem solving. Nonetheless, the relationship between identity formation and problem solving and acculturation alternatives had not been theoretically and empirically investigated. This study was a survey about identity (re)formation and problem solving of 50 Karen refugees resettling in London, Canada, in comparison with 50 non-refugee Canadians. This study also examined attitude toward and strategies of acculturation of the Karen refugees as well as the relationships between identity and acculturation process.
The findings on identity factors revealed that the resettlement process resulted in the refugees encountering temporal sameness and identity continuation, resulting in identity confusion and crisis, slow identity adaptation/problem solving, and activation of social and personal worries (work, profession, value, group, loyalty). The analysis of information componentsof the acculturation process indicated that there were various directions of their adaptation, depending on three factors: customs and values, social relationship, and free-time activities. For categorization analysis, their attitude toward and strategies of acculturation were divided into three categories: racial and cultural segregation, integration, and assimilation. Those using cultural assimilation strategies accepted Canadian customs and values as well as had social relationship and free-time activities with Canadians, while those using cultural integration strategies had maintained their ethnic customs and values. At the same time, they were open to an opportunity to change and volunteer to participate in leisure-time activities and to create social relationships with Canadians.
The regression analysis to analyze the effects of the acculturation strategies of the Karen on their identity, mental health and demographic components indicated that the identity and mental indicators were negatively and significantly related to the acculturation strategies, that is, social and cultural segregation.
This study findings revealed that solving identity and mental health problem was a significant predictor of the acculturation process, which confirmed the study hypotheses and framework. The study emphasized that work was the ultimate goal of the refugees. Assisting these newly resettled refugees access education and labor market was an important factor for positive acculturation strategies, that is, cultural integration and assimilation.