Acculturative integration and psychology of liberation: a model for the improvement of migrant health and wellbeing

The integration of immigrants is a prerequisite of social cohesion and economic progress but represents also a challenge for receiving societies because of asymmetrical and oppressive conditions suffered by newcomers. This paper describes an acculturative integration approach that stresses the contribution of liberation psychology. According to a liberation psychology approach social integration can be understood as an empowerment and self-construction process by which immigrants have access to resources, participate and belong in new context. The capacity to cope with oppressive conditions, to achieve participation and access, and to realize belonging is broadly affected by conditions set by social and integration policies. This article is organized around three sections: first, it reviews the relevant literature about acculturation models and the main limitations, second, it examines the acculturative integration from a liberation psychology perspective where integration has been defined as an ongoing process of psychological and political empowerment during which immigrants change, recreate, deconstruct and re- construct their "self" and their environment to become accepted and respected; and third, it lays down the theoretical and organizational principles for the development of a fair health system in which migrant people have equal right and opportunity of the host people.

Keywords: Acculturative integration, liberation psychology, health system

Anna Bocchino, Ramírez Manuel García, Eugenia M. Mosquera, Integrazione acculturativa e psicologia della liberazione: un modello per la salute e il benessere degli immigrati in "PSICOLOGIA DI COMUNITA’" 1/2011, pp 15-23, DOI: 10.3280/PSC2011-001003