Assesses how work status affects acculturation and psychological adaptation among predominantly Jewish Soviet refugees resettled in the United States. The 206 study participants were nearly equally divided between New York City and the Washington, D.C., area. Participants reported whether they were unemployed, underemployed, or working in their specialty. Among the findings were that: refugees retained their Russian identity even while becoming increasingly Americanized; those refugees living in the Washington, D.C., area had a greatly likelihood of being better educated and better English speakers, of making more money, and of having a greater sense of satisfaction with life; those individuals employed in their original professional field experienced far less alienation-and higher income-than did their counterparts who were either under- or unemployed. The findings, however, are inconclusive with respect to the importance of getting refugees work, regardless of whether the job is appropriate to their professional background or training; for instance, working in one???s field might facilitate acculturation, or greater American acculturation might pave the way for employment in one???s specialty. This and other unanswered questions suggest that a longitudinal study of the careers of both men and women could yield insights to guide refugee resettlement strategies. (51 references)
