The relationship between attachment style, acculturation and loneliness among migrant home care workers.

Background: The steady increase in life expectancy has led to a substantial rise in the percentage of elderly persons who are chronically ill or have functional limitations in activities of daily living (World Health Organization [WHO], 2006). Most of these elderly persons want to stay in their homes, and they rely on services provided by home caregivers for that purpose (Iecovich, 2010). Most of the live-in home caregivers are work immigrants, because they are the most inexpensive alternative for elderly persons and their families (Ayalon, 2009a). Given the heavy demands of home care provision, which poses a physical and emotional burden in addition to the long work hours, these workers are often socially isolated (Ayalon & Shiovitz-Ezra, 2010).

Aim of the research: The research focused on Philippine work immigrants who are employed in Israel as home care givers. The study aimed to examine whether the attachment and acculturation styles of the caregivers are related to their level of loneliness. Attachment theory and acculturation theory both focus on coping with new and unexpected situations such as immigration (Grinberg & Grinberg, 1989). Against that background, the present study examined two types of loneliness: emotional loneliness, which relates to the absence of significant others (Weiss, 1987), and social loneliness, which describes the lack of significant social networks and the lack of contact with other people who share common interests (Weiss, 1973).

Method: The sample of participants consisted of 83 migrant home care workers from the Philippines, who were between the ages of 21 and 58 and worked as home caregivers in Israel. Participants filled out four questionnaires: a short demographic questionnaire, which examined background data; the Experiences in Close Relationships (ECR) questionnaire (Brenan et al., 1998), which examined dimensions of attachment; the East Asian Acculturation Measure (EAMA), which examined acculturation styles (Berry, 2001); and the scale of loneliness in close relationships (De Jong-Gierveld, 1985), which examined the participants' sense of loneliness.

Findings: The main findings of the study indicate that migrant home care workers with an avoidant attachment style were characterized by a closed style of acculturation (including separation and marginalization) vis-à-vis Israeli culture, and that they experienced more emotional and social loneliness as well as general loneliness. In contrast, migrant home care workers with an anxious attachment style, who were characterized by an open style of acculturation vis-à-vis Israeli culture (including integration and assimilation) experienced low levels of emotional, and general loneliness. Furthermore, the findings indicated that a closed acculturation style (separation and marginalization) mediated in the relationship between an avoidant attachment style and a sense of emotional, social, and general loneliness. In contrast, an open acculturation style (integration and assimilation) mediated in the relationship between an anxious attachment style and a sense of emotional and general loneliness.

Conclusions: The findings of the present study highlight the presence of foreign workers who are employed as caregivers in Israel and give a voice to this population, which is hardly seen or heard in Israeli society. Regarding the contribution of the study to existing research knowledge, the findings shed light on the nature of the relationships between the attachment styles and acculturation styles of home caregivers. That is, an anxious attachment style was associated with better acculturation to Israeli society, whereas an avoidant attachment style was associated with a closed acculturation style, which makes integration into Israeli society more difficult. On a practical level, the research findings can contribute to better acculturation of migrant home care workers, and reduce their sense of loneliness.