Predicting Socio-Economic Satisfaction Levels among British Immigrants in Australia

Abstract

A questionnaire containing personality measures, emigrationrelated measures, background socio-economic measures, and demographic measures was administered to a volunteer sample of male and female British emigrants ea route to Australia by ship. After approximately 12 months residence a follow-up questionnaire was despatched in which information on aspects of social and economic adjustment was requested. A cumulative scale of satisfaction was constructed from answers to three of the social and economic questions. Levels of socio-economic satisfaction were found to be predictable on the basis of responses to the shipboard questionnaire. Altogether seven significant predictor variables were isolated for the men and six for the women. Three of the variables were common to both sexes. The significance of two theoretical constructs, adaptive capacity and situational stress, was emphasized and some empirical evidence advanced in support of their predictive value.

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