Document Type
Dissertation
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy
Major
Education, Counseling
Date of Defense
4-18-2024
Graduate Advisor
Susan Kashubeck-West
Committee
Angela Coker
Mary Edwin
So Rin Kim
Abstract
Microaggressions refer to subtle forms of racism that occur in everyday interactions, often conveying hostile or demeaning messages. These experiences can have a negative impact on the psychological well-being and life satisfaction of African Americans. However, there is a lack of research that explores the relationship between microaggressions and the life satisfaction of African American women who have relocated abroad. Additionally, little is known of the contemporary motivations for expatriation of African American women. A review of African American historical migration, study abroad participation, and tourism lays the framework for examining recent expatriation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the experiences of African American women who have moved to Mexico and explore the relationship between their experiences of microaggressions in the U.S. and their current life satisfaction. The study utilized a correlational design. The sample included 111 African American women expatriates in Mexico. The research did not support the hypothesis linking prior racial microaggressions in the US to current life satisfaction after moving abroad. However, it did confirm correlations between racial microaggressions and numerous motivations for emigration. Importantly, the study also found that a longer duration spent outside the U.S. enhances life satisfaction among these expatriates.
Recommended Citation
Keller, Patricia, "Relations Between Prior Racial Microaggressions, Expat Motivation, and Life Satisfaction Among African American Expat Women in Mexico" (2024). Dissertations. 1410.
https://irl.umsl.edu/dissertation/1410
Included in
Counseling Commons, Leisure Studies Commons, Multicultural Psychology Commons, Sociology Commons