The difficult conditions which these women experience have been found to be associated with a number of psychoemotional problems including feelings of isolation, insecurity, uncontrolled rage, helplessness, hopelessness, depression, and anxiety (Sahagun, 1990). In other words, there is reason to believe that the mental health of this particular group of women is at great risk.

This means that determining factors which may operate to assist Central American women from falling victim to psychoemotional pressures associated with their immigrant status is a needed and important area of research for this population. This study attempted to address this need by examining factors that may affect (both positively and negatively) the mental health status of a sample of Central American immigrant women.

The conducted research examined whether in

(2) Background and demographic factors contribute to acculturation stress in both negative and positive ways. Possible contributors include: mode of acculturation, phase of acculturation, nature of the society in the new country, individual characteristics, ethnic characteristics, attitudes toward acculturation, bicultural self-identification, the individual's generation with respect to living in the new country, and self-esteem levels.

Naggy, C. & Woods, D.J. (1992). A note on the relationship between acculturation and socioeconomic status. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 14(2), 248-251.

Negative affect and somatic disturbance were more strongly associated with MD than lack of positive affect and interpersonal problems. Low socioeconomic status (SES) and social isolation contributed to depressed mood independent of major depression.

Acculturation Stress: As used in this study, acculturation stress refers a type of stress in which the stressors are identified as having their source in the acculturation process; in other words, those changes necessary as someone moves from the status of culturally normative to culturally subordinate can produce stress and distress (Williams & Berry, 1991). It is a primary contention of this study that the consequences of experienced acculturation stress can vary depending upon a variety of factors which means that symptoms of stress can also increase or decrease in intensity and severity.

12) Whether subject would like to have more relatives living in the United States;

Browner & King (1989) {Cited in Original Paper but reference not provided in the reference section}.

In addition to the factors of mode and phase of acculturation, nature of the new society, characteristics of the immigrant group and individual, and attit