Acculturative Stress Indicators Portrayed in American Movies: A Quantitative Content Analysis

The study investigated the indicators of acculturative stress among immigrants, and the stereotypes associated with immigrants as portrayed by American movies. The purposive sample (N=10) consisted of movies about immigrants produced in America between 2002 and 2017. Thus, drawing from the findings of previous studies on acculturation, the researcher developed a set of acculturative stress indicators (Socialization, Religion, Nutrition, Education, Language, and Citizenship). Also, the immigrant protagonist's race/ethnicity was a key factor that was considered because it is one of the primary basis for their identification in the movies. The ethnicity identified from the movies spread across 8 countries, which were classified into three ethnic categories: Asian, White, and Hispanic or Latino. Based on the results and findings of the study, the movies were found to portray more Socialization Stress Indicators and very little Religion Stress Indicators. There was a significant difference in the portrayal of the Language Stress Indicator between immigrant lead characters from Hispanic or Latino ethnicity and other ethnicities. The implications of movie based stereotypes about immigrants were discussed with regards to accurate and culturally appropriate portrayals. Therefore, the study highlights the need for extensive evidence-based research on the portrayal of immigrants in the movies, especially due to the high level of media consumption in recent times