The immigration experience among elderly Egyptian immigrants in the United States
[Thesis]
Ihab Girgis
Abramovitz, Miriam
City University of New York
2015
289
Committee members: Bragin, Martha; Morano, Carmen
Place of publication: United States, Ann Arbor; ISBN=978-1-339-14799-4
D.S.W.
Social Welfare
City University of New York
2015
An increasing mosaic of immigrants comes to the United States' shores every year for different reasons. An invisible part of those immigrants are the elderly who join their families in the United States. The story of the Egyptian elderly immigrants among them, as one representative group of Arabs, is significant and its investigation is timely. This study explores the context of exit from Egypt, the risk factors for health and mental health distress induced by this transition and how they impede the adjustment process, and the protective factors and processes that buffer the risk factors, foster resilience, and facilitate the adjustment process. This study describes the challenges, difficulties, deficits, opportunities, rewards, skills, strengths, and coping strategies that make up the immigration experience among elderly Egyptians. In-depth interviews were conducted with (30) elderly Egyptian immigrants-comprised of (15) Muslims and (15) Coptic Christians-who came to the United States after turning 60 years of age; they came to join their families but under differing circumstances. Using a stress and coping theoretical lens and descriptive phenomenological analysis, themes were identified within each interview and across interviews.
Religion; Gerontology; Social psychology; Social work; Middle Eastern Studies; Individual & family studies
Philosophy, religion and theology;Social sciences;Psychology;Arabic;Coping mechanisms;Egyptian;Elderly;Immigration;Risk and protective factors