PREMIGRATORY EXPECTATIONS AND MENTAL-HEALTH SYMPTOMATOLOGY IN A GROUP OF VIETNAMESE AMERASIAN YOUTH

This paper reports on the first phase of a prospective longitudinal evaluation of the relationship between premigratory expectations for life in the United States and postmigratory symptoms of anxiety and depression in a group of Vietnamese Amerasian youth. Premigratory expectations, as measured by an expectations questionnaire, are correlated with concurrent symptomatology assessed utilizing the General Health Questionnaire, Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25, and Vietnamese Depression Scale. Those with higher premigratory expectations tended to report fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression. Implications of these findings for future research defining the relationship between premigratory expectations and postmigratory symptoms are discussed.