Latinx immigrants' psychological sense of community: variation by immigration status across divergent U.S. policy contexts

Immigrants' psychological sense of community (PSOC) - feelings of belonging, influence, emotional connection, and fulfillment of needs within a community - is shaped by both individual and contextual factors. This study examined whether Latinx immigrants' PSOC varied by immigration status and state-level immigration policy environments across four U.S. states. We hypothesized that immigrants living in more restrictive policy environments would report weaker PSOC, and that this association would be strongest for immigrants without an authorized immigration status, as compared to those with legal immigration authorization or who had become naturalized U.S. citizens. Using data from 407 Latinx immigrants surveyed in Arizona, Maryland, New Mexico, and Virginia in 2015, a 4x3 ANCOVA was conducted controlling for key demographic variables. Findings indicated that PSOC significantly varied by immigration status: Immigrants without authorization reported the lowest levels of PSOC. Contrary to expectations, no effect of state-level immigration-related policy context was found, nor was there an interaction with immigration status. Time spent in the United States was positively associated with PSOC. Men also reported stronger PSOC. As such, community-level interventions directed at newcomers, women, and immigrants with precarious legal immigration statuses may be especially important in fostering PSOC. Future research should investigate additional dimensions of communities' contexts of reception that may influence immigrants' PSOC.

移民的心理社区归属感（psychological sense of community, PSOC），即个体在社区中所体验到的归属感、影响力、情感联结与需求满足感，同时受个体因素与情境因素的共同塑造。本研究以美国四个州的拉丁裔移民为研究对象，考察其心理社区归属感是否会因移民身份与州级移民政策环境的差异而有所不同。本研究提出如下假设：居住在移民政策限制更为严苛的州的移民，其PSOC水平会更低；且相较于持有合法移民身份或已入籍美国的移民，无合法移民身份的移民所受政策环境与PSOC间的关联强度将最为显著。本研究使用2015年针对亚利桑那州、马里兰州、新墨西哥州及弗吉尼亚州的407名拉丁裔移民的调研数据，通过控制关键人口统计学变量，开展了4×3协方差分析（analysis of covariance, ANCOVA）。研究结果显示，心理社区归属感水平确实随移民身份的不同呈现显著差异：无合法移民身份的移民报告的PSOC水平最低。与预期相悖的是，本研究未发现州级移民相关政策环境的主效应，也未发现其与移民身份的交互效应。在美国停留时长与PSOC水平呈正相关关系，男性报告的PSOC水平也更高。据此，针对新移民、女性以及法律身份不稳定的移民开展的社区层面干预措施，或对提升其心理社区归属感尤为关键。未来研究可进一步探索影响移民心理社区归属感的其他社区接纳环境维度。