Travesías emocionales: Explorando el impacto cultural y el Síndrome de Ulises en la experiencia inmigratoria en Panamá

Abstract

This study delves into the experiences of immigrant youth in Panama, using a psychological approach to understand how they have coped with the complexities of culture shock. The findings reveal that immigrant youth experience a challenging adaptation process, marked by feelings of uprootedness, loss and loneliness. Culture shock, characterized by customs, values and lifestyles, creates difficulties in integrating into the new society. Nostalgia for their culture of origin, loss of social and family ties exacerbate these difficulties, and the study also identifies discrimination and xenophobia as factors that aggravate the situation of the study population. In this context, the Ulysses Syndrome emerges as a palpable reality for the young participants. The characteristic symptoms of this syndrome, such as chronic stress, depersonalization, devaluation of identity and the desire to return home are clearly manifested in their narratives. The findings of this study contribute significantly to a better understanding of the psychosocial challenges faced by immigrants from a psychological perspective, the research highlights the need to develop specific psychological interventions to address the needs of this population, with a focus on promoting resilience, social support, and addressing discrimination.

Keywords

Discriminación

Inmigrantes

Impacto cultural

Síndrome de Ulises

Discrimination

Immigrants

Cultural impact

Ulysses Syndrome

References

Achotegui, J. (2002). La Depresión en los inmigrantes: El duelo migratorio. Editorial Desclée De Brouwer.

Achotegui, J. (2002). El Síndrome de Ulises: Claves para entender a los hijos de inmigrantes. Clínica y Salud, 13(1), 53-67.

Berry, J. W. (2006). Stress perspectives on acculturation. In D. L. Sam & J. W. Berry (Eds.), The Cambridge handbook of acculturation psychology (pp. 43-57). Cambridge University Press.

Campos, R. (2015). El syndrome de Ulises. Obtenido de la Estrella de Panamá

Martínez García, E. (2018). Negotiating identity: Young immigrants in Spain. Journal of Adolescent Research, 33(4), 442-459.

Organización Mundial de la Salud. (2018). Mental Health and forced displacement.

Suárez-Orozco, C., Suárez-Orozco, M. M., & Todorova, I. (2011). Learning a new land: Immigrant students in American society. Harvard University Press.

Suárez-Orozco, C. (2000). Immigrant Children: The American Experience. Harvard University Press.

Ward, C., & Kennedy, A. (2001). Coping with cross-cultural transition. Journal of CrossCultural Psychology, 32(6), 636-642.

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Universidad Metropolitana de Educación, Ciencia y Tecnología

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Universidad Metropolitana de Educación, Ciencia y Tecnología

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