Investigating the Impacts of Acculturation Stress on Migrant Care Workers in Australian Residential Aged Care Facilities

Introduction: Migrant care workers are a growing portion of the aged care workforce in high-income countries. This study investigated the impacts of acculturation stress on the well-being of migrant care workers. Method: A cross-sectional national survey was conducted among migrant care workers (n= 272) across five Australian states and one territory using the Riverside Acculturation Stress Inventory (RASI) and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS 21). Results: Acculturation stress was high (M= 38.4;SD= 14.1; 38.9% scored >= 40 out of 75), but respondents scored in the normal to mild ranges (85% to 93%) on the DASS 21 scale. Enrolled and registered nurses had the highest acculturation stress levels when compared with other occupational roles. Ethnicity,F(4, 254) = 11.0,p< .001; occupational roles,F(3, 254) = 3.0,p= .03; and self-reported English proficiency,F(1, 254) = 4.17,p= .04, were statistically significant. Conclusions: Addressing acculturation stress may improve job satisfaction and retention among migrant care workers.