ABSTRACT
Drawing on data from the Survey of Foreign and Chinese Spouses’ Living Requirements in 2013, we probe the effects of economic and acculturative factors on psychological well-being, particularly happiness, of female immigrants in cross-border marriages in Taiwan, while social demographic variables are controlled. In the economic aspect, while being employed negatively affects immigrant brides’ happiness, family income, as expected, is positively associated with psychological well-being. However, during acculturation, immigrant brides who have stayed longer in Taiwan, especially for more than 10 years, report a lower level of happiness. Also, different types of social networks and resources may be available for them to cope with the difficulties encountered. Immigrant brides accessing professional organisations are more likely to report being ‘very happy’. Finally, perceived friendliness is an important protective factor among female marriage immigrants. More interestingly, perceived friendliness plays a role in mediating the influence of economic and acculturative predictors on psychological well-being.
