COPING WITH RESETTLEMENT DIFFICULTIES: A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF COPING STRATEGIES USEDBY MAINLAND CHINESE IMMIGRANTS IN HONG KONG

A qualitative study was undertaken to explore the coping strategies used by mainland Chinese immigrants in Hong Kong to handle psychosocial stressors experienced during the resettlement stage of the migration process. It was revealed that coping strategies employed were stage-specific and culture-specific. While problem-solving strategies and compromise were used by immigrants to deal with recurring, daily resettlement difficulties, cognitive strategies of positive comparisons and positive and optimistic thinking were utilised to change the meanings of these difficulties. Acceptance and avoidance strategies were culture-specific, and were useful in reducing the stress associated with the resettlement difficulties encountered. It was also found that strategies such as acceptance, compromise and avoidance might have deleterious effects on the longer-term adjustment of immigrants. Implications for counselling the immigrants were suggested.