ISSEP-2024-01

GRANT ID#: ISSEP-2024-01

GRANT TITLE: Finding Purpose in the U.S. Immigrant Experience

GRANTEE: Washington University in St. Louis

PRIMARY INVESTIGATOR: Patrick Hill

CO-PRIMARY INVESTIGATOR: Selin Toprakkiran

GRANT AMOUNT: USD $3,000

DURATION OF GRANT PROJECT: May 01, 2024 – April 30, 2025

Description of the Project

 

Executive summary:

Moving from one’s homeland to a new country presents a critical psychological challenge that many people face during their lifetime. This process may evoke or be evoked by the search for direction in life, leaving immigrants to reconstitute their life narratives to combine their new and former environments. Despite the turbulence of this disruption, limited research has considered the role of purpose within the immigrant experience. The current studies will test three primary claims on this front, examining purpose as a catalyst and outcome of the experience. First, which individuals feel that immigration influenced their sense of purpose? And can sense of purpose help buffer those with more traumatic experiences? Second, does immigration differentially lead to a crisis of purpose among those with greater or less agency over their migration decision? Third, what supports can we provide to help adults avoid feeling derailed and a loss of purpose following immigration?

 

Itemized budget:

The projected expenses are detailed below:

  • $1200 for Study 1 participation (300 participants x $4 for a 15-minute survey and administration

  • costs)

  • $1000 for Study 2 participants (25 participants x $40 for 45-60 minute interview)

  • $1125 for research assistants ($15 per hour x 75 hours; 25 hours for interviews; 50 hours for indepth coding of interviews)

  • (Departmental funding will be acquired for covering the extra costs above $3000)

The total amount approved is USD $3,000.

Kenneth Vail