Culturing settlement using pre- and post-migration strategies

Appropriate pre- and post-migration strategies could buffer the possible negative impact of migration and assist in settlement. This cross-sectional study used both quantitative and qualitative approaches to establish the impact of migration on women from Britain (n = 154) now living in Perth, Western Australia; from these participants 40 were selected for in-depth interview. Bowlby's grieving process was used as a theoretical framework to explore grief reactions to leaving the homeland (homesickness) resulting from exposure to a new culture. Crucial to successful settlement was the nature of strategies the women used to negotiate the grieving process. Participants who successfully settled and re-invented themselves engaged in more social, cultural and country activities - those participants who were less successful in this endeavour tended toward more solitary strategies. The study has social implications for future migrants to utilize appropriate strategies that could reduce the psychological impact of relocation