Acculturative Experiences of An Immigrant Filipino Faith-Based Community

Abstract

This paper tackled the migration experiences of Filipino members of a Protestant church located in Newton, Massachusetts. Most of the members are nurses who migrated to the United States in the 1980s. Members were interviewed by face-to-face, telephone, and by group discussions. Differences in acculturation strategies were observed between the first-generation (parents) and second-generation (children). Acculturative stressors and adjustments were also discussed. Likewise, the migration waves that brought Filipinos to the U.S. and their cultural background were partly presented. Religiosity, mental health, and ethnic identity were some of the factors cited in the literature to be affecting the Filipino acculturative experiences. Contemporary issues and outlook were also stated.