Discrimination, Perceived Segregation, Acculturation and Psychological Well-being: the Case of North Caucasian Migrants in Moscow

The present research is devoted to studying the role of the perceived discrimination and perceived segregation in acculturation preferences of North Caucasian migrants in Moscow.

We focused on the influence of perceived by North Caucasian migrants` segregation expectation of Muscovites on acculturation attitudes of North Caucasian migrants in the Moscow host society. In addition, we have tested the assumption of the mediating role of perceived segregation in the relationship between perceived discrimination and the acculturation strategies of the North Caucasians. We explored the relationships of perceived acculturation expectations and acculturation strategies with psychological and sociocultural adaptation of migrants. The study involved 175 North Caucasian migrants living in Moscow aging between 16 and 34 years (M=20.9, SD=3.24, 81.5% male). The questionnaire included measures of perceived discrimination, perceived acculturation expectations (modification of Berry`s acculturation expectations), acculturation strategies, life satisfaction, self-esteem, sociocultural adaptation. For testing the specific predictions, we used path analysis with AMOS. Maximum-Likelihood estimation was used to model the direct and indirect effects of perceived discrimination on acculturation preferences using 5000 bootstrapped samples. The analysis showed that there was a significant negative indirect effect of perceived discrimination on the integration and assimilation preferences through perceived segregation expectation. In addition, there was a significant positive indirect effect of perceived discrimination on separation through perceived segregation expectation. It can be concluded that perceived discrimination was significantly related to integration and assimilation acculturation strategies; more specifically, we found a direct link for assimilation and integration an indirect link (though perceived segregation) for all acculturation strategies.Thus, the present study suggests that perceived exclusion by host society through perceived discrimination and perceived segregation expectation may influence migrants` acculturation strategies as well as their sociocultural and psychological adaptation.