Perceived congruence between expectations and outcomes: implications for mental health among Caribbean immigrants.

Previous research on the psychological adjustment of immigrants has cited the perceived congruence between premigratory expectations and postmigratory realities as a primary determinant of psychological well-being. Using a sample of 137 first-generation Caribbean immigrants, a measure of the perceived congruence between expectations and outcomes was developed to examine the relationship between perceived congruence in various life domains, and indexes of psychological well being, such as anxiety, depression, and life satisfaction. Overall, perceived congruence was positively associated with life satisfaction and negatively associated with depression. Factor analyses revealed the presence of two reliable domains (social and professional) in the congruence measure. Perceived congruence in both domains was positively associated with life satisfaction, and perceived congruence in the professional domain was negatively associated with depression symptoms. Implications of the findings are discussed. 2006 APA, all rights reserved