Psychocultural Marginality and the Impact on Scottish Emigrants

Abstract

This study explores the concept of Psychocultural Marginality among Scottish emigrants, examining how cultural dislocation influences the acculturation process and the essence of adverse impacts and adaptation. Marginalization and disconnection from culture can translate into increased breakdowns in family of origin connections, the decay of birth culture, and negative changes in mental health symptoms. The context of this study identifies the historical patterns of emigration as well as the enduring cultural heritage that Scottish emigrants carry during their lives and throughout generations. The need for this research comes from a gap in existing literature regarding psychological implications of emigration in Scottish individuals. A deeper understanding of the impact that emigrants’ can experience when disconnected to their culture of origin can have significant insights in understanding the process of cultural negotiation. This phenomenological research study looks to identify the influence that emigration may have on Scottish individuals who have resettled in the United States. Through the use of thematic analysis, descriptive coding and emotion coding, the researcher identified themes related to the essence of emigration and the process of acculturation. The insights identified through this research may help to benefit larger discussions on migration, adaptation, and cultural identity resulting in better emotional and mental health support for emigrants.