Refugees' Employment, Job and Life Satisfaction, Perceptions of Racism, and Experiences of Discrimination

Abstract

I utilized an ecological framework to explore the relationships between Cuban and Haitian refugees' perceptions of personal experiences of discrimination, perceptions ofracism in the United States, education, and satisfaction with life in the U.S. when they first immigrated and their employment status, job satisfaction, monthly income, income satisfaction, and overall U.S. life satisfaction two years after immigrating. Multiple linear regression analyses showed that the proposed models (a) significantly predicted refugees' job satisfaction, pay satisfaction, income satisfaction, and life satisfaction at Time 2, but not employment; (b) significantly predicted Cubans' job satisfaction, life satisfaction, and pay satisfaction at Time 2; (c) significantly predicted Haitians' pay satisfaction at Time 2; and (d) significantly predicted males' and females' job satisfaction, pay satisfaction, income satisfaction, and life satisfaction at Time 2. Additional analyses confirmed ethnic and sex differences in model results. Implications for research, theory, and practice are discussed.