Symptoms of Depression Among Caribbean Women and Caribbean‐Canadian Women

This study compared an immigrant sample of Caribbean‐Canadian women (n= 20) and a sample of women living in the Caribbean (n= 20) on the following variables: dominant domain of meaning (defined as that aspect of the participant's life from which she derives primary meaning for her sense of self); self‐silencing (defined as the tendency to silence one's thoughts and feelings; Jack, 1991); and symptoms of depression. Results revealed that the Caribbean women were more likely to report relational domains of meaning as primary (e.g., family, friendships, intimate relationships), while the Caribbean‐Canadian women were more likely to report domain of self‐nurturance as primary (e.g., career goals, spirituality). Furthermore, univariate analysis revealed that the Caribbean‐Canadian women reported higher levels of self‐silencing and depressive symptoms, and derived less meaningfulness from their primary domains of meaning compared to the Caribbean women. These findings suggest that the immigrant experience may be a factor in women's emotional well‐being.