Mental health among Asian and African migrant working mothers: new vulnerabilities, old religious coping resources

ABSTRACT

A qualitative research is presented to explore sources of psychosocial distress, expressive idioms, coping strategies, resilience resources, and experiences of mental-health services in Filipino, Sao Tomean and Indo-Mozambican migrant working mothers settled in Portugal. Findings suggest that shared gender roles and working conditions do not lead to similar modes of expressing mental distress. Particular manifestations take on cultural meanings in relation to specific vulnerabilities and stressors. Despite their higher level of psychosocial distress, these migrant mothers make little use of mental-health services. Comparative analysis has brought to light how religious participation provides them with a variety of expressive and coping resources that support and guarantee the fulfilment of their gender and mothering responsibilities, thus triggering desired changes that affect the lives of their children and families in both the short and long term.

KEYWORDS:

• Mental health
• gender
• immigrant
• religion
• Portugal

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge all the participants for their contribution to this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the FCT (Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology) through UID/ANT/04038/2013 – CRIA (Centre for Research in Anthropology)