Seeking connection: a mixed methods study of mental well-being and community volunteerism among international migrants in Japan.

ABSTRACT:

Background

International migration is a stressful process for which non-Western nations are a growing destination. However, little attention has been paid to the psychological well-being of international residents or their local integration in such settings. Prosocial behavior, like volunteering in one's local community, has been demonstrated to improve mental health in native populations. Volunteerism may be a mental health promotion strategy applicable to non-native migrants as well. In order to assess such a hypothesis, this study investigated the mental well-being of international migrants living in Tokyo, Japan, who did or did not participate in formal volunteering.

Methods

This convergent mixed-methods study assessed mental well-being with the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental

SUBMITTER: Miller R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7441705 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature