Features of emotional response of migrants as a factor for successful adaptation

A comparative study of the level of alexithymia symptoms among migrants compatriots and migrant workers with use of the Toronto alexithymia scale was carried out. A significantly higher level of alexithymia symptoms in a group of “migrant workers” was revealed. Further investigation revealed a significantly higher level of alexithymia symptoms in the group of migrant workers who had a language barrier in communicating with the host population as well as cultural differences. Results for alexithymia scale in migrant workers who had assimilated into the culture of the host country more successfully did not reveal significant differences from the results of migrant compatriots. The aim of this research is to compare the level of alexithymia symptoms among migrant compatriots and migrant workers; to analyze sociocultural factors of alexithymia symptoms. As it follows from the analysis of Russian and foreign literature the authors suggested that the level of alexithymia symptoms in the group of “migrant workers” will be significantly higher compared to migrants compatriots, that is connected with cultural differences as well as somatization of affect; in a group of labor migrants the level of alexithymia will be higher among “dependent” migrants, who are at a lower level of social hierarchy than the level of alexithymia among “dominant” migrants who had assimilated into the culture of the host country more successfully and who can speak the language of that country fluently. A screening of migrant compatriots in number of 141 (72,3 % from Kazakhstan, 9,2 % from Uzbekistan, 5,7 % from Tadzhikistan, 4,96 % from Armenia, 3,5 % from Kyrgyzstan, 2,8 % from Moldova and 1,4 % from Ukraine) and labor migrants in number of 728 (50 % from Tadzhikistan, 28 % from Uzbekistan, 12 % from Kyrgyzstan and 10 % from Kazakhstan) was conducted. During the survey they held categorization of labor migrants according to social status that depends on the language level and the level of cultural assimilation, especially the rules of expression of feelings and non-verbal communication, that are formed in the process of acculturation. They formed two groups among labor migrants: “dominant” in number of 50 and “dependent” migrants, who do not know the language and haven't assimilated into Russian culture in number of 678. The survey was held from March 2010 to December 2013. A comparative study of the level of alexithymia symptoms was conducted by means of the Toronto alexithymia scale (TAS). A significantly higher level of alexithymia symptoms in a group of “labor migrants” was revealed. Further investigation revealed a significantly higher level of alexithymia symptoms in the group of migrant workers who had a language barrier in communicating with the host population as well as cultural differences. Results for alexithymia scale in migrant workers who had assimilated into the culture of the host country more successfully did not reveal significant differences from the results of migrant compatriots.