Family Functioning and Migration: Considerations for Practice

Abstract

Examined how Israeli social workers perceive the family functioning of immigrant families in relation to the process of migration and absorption in a new culture. 81 Ss (mean age 35 yrs) completed questionnaires dealing with immigrants from the former Soviet Union, and 63 Ss (mean age 35 yrs) completed those dealing with Ethiopian immigrants. Questionnaires dealing with child abuse, neglect of the elderly and the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale were also administered. Regardless of the issue being treated, there were differences in how social workers perceived family adaptability in the 2 countries. Though migrant families from both were perceived as less adaptable and more cohesive than the norm, the former Soviet Union families were seen as more cohesive and less adaptable than Ethiopian families. Ss perceived the family as more dysfunctional when they dealt with child abuse than with elder neglect. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)