LInking laNguage to psyChologicAl well-being in immigRant communitiEs

ongoing

The critical challenges posed by the growing migratory movements, in terms of linguistic and cultural collisions, raise the need to deeper understand the acculturation processes faced by groups of migrants while settling in a new social and cultural context. These may encompass certain levels of acculturative stress, which have an impact on migrants’ psychological well-being and are reflected, among other things, in the linguistic outcomes of migration. Previous studies demonstrated a positive link between bilingualism and higher well-being levels, though only considering self-assessed language competence and use, lacking empirical support from real communicative interactions. Thus, the LINCARE project aims to establish whether specific language contact phenomena, found in interaction and typical in migration contexts, can serve as a reliable tool to assess levels of well-being in immigrant groups, by investigating their relation with cultural and socio-psychological aspects, through advanced multivariate analysis techniques. It also seeks to explore whether bilingual practices positively correlate with higher levels of well-being. In so doing, the project will bridge gaps in existing linguistic, cultural, and psychological research and create an integrated framework. It will contribute to inform policy-makers about the multifaceted consequences of migration and possible stress factors affecting migrants during settlement and, in turn, society at large. Therefore, as the United Nations and European Union strive to reduce inequality, promote multilingualism, and protect minority rights and cultural heritage, this project will also contribute to these global challenges. Moreover, working on this project at Tilburg University will enhance my expertise in linguistic analysis and provide me with additional knowledge of the cultural and psychological aspects related to migration. This transfer of knowledge will foster research and innovation on these topics.