Factors promoting resilience among Mexican immigrant women in the United States: Applying a positive deviance approach

This research project used a positive deviance approach to identify Mexican immigrant women (MIW) who have experienced great stress and who have positive mental health indicators in order to determine the factors behind their resilience and coping skills. Signposts, strengths and resources contributing to positive mental health are identified and described. The resilience of participants in this study emerged as a very dynamic phenomenon. A series of internal assets helped these women find meaning, purpose and build resilience. Social networks, families, positive attitudes, and purposeful behaviors determine the strengths and well-being of this group. This may be the first exploration of the mental health assets of MIW. Although the purposive sample in the study limits the generalization of its results, the specificity of its population is a clear point of comparison and reference. The study has implications for the design of health promotion interventions with individuals of Mexican shared ancestry

Becoming Resilient: A Positive Deviance Inquiry into the Resilience of Mexican Immigrant Women

ABSTRACT The United States has approximately 12 million Mexican-born immigrants, almost half of which are female (Gonzalez-Barrera & Lopez, 2013). Research has determined that Mexican immigrants have the best level of mental health when compared to other ethnic groups in the U.S. (Alegria et al., 2008; Horevitz & Organista, 2012). Adverse living conditions resulting from immigration and time spent in the U.S. are believed to cause the loss of this advantage. The potential strengths or assets contributing to advantageous levels of mental health in Mexican-born immigrants have not been fully identified in research. This exploratory and descriptive inquiry used an asset approach conceptually framed by resilience and Positive Deviance. It explored the strengths and assets associated to the resilience of Mexican women who immigrated to the U. S. as adults, have resided in the U.S. for over ten years, have low socio-economic status, and experienced significant adversity. One hundred Mexican immigrant women (MIW) were recruited and screened to select a group of fourteen Positive Deviant women who were individually interviewed and provided in-depth accounts of their adverse experiences and their understanding of resilience and wellbeing. Internal strengths, external resources, strategies and behaviors that help these women develop resilience and maintain wellbeing were identified. Results showed that early and frequent experiences of adversity and the spiritual beliefs of participants framed their life experiences and helped them develop resilience and maintain wellbeing. For MIW, resilience is the culmination of a highly dynamic process of growth and transformation derived from experiences of adversity, mediated by spirituality, constant decision-making, and the interaction of several assets. Debriefing sessions with key informants, women in the community, member checking; and a clear audit trail were some of the strategies to establish data rigor and trustworthiness of the study. The importance of taking an asset approach to studying the health of immigrants is the main implication of this study