Investigates the social relationships among local family members of immigrants from the former Soviet Union to determine whether these relationships were perceived as stressful or supportive. While families can offer dependable sources of support when family function is healthy, they can become overtaxed by major life changes. The study involved qualitative interviews with 42 Russian immigrants living in the metropolitan area of Boston, Massachusetts. Analysis of the interview data revealed that having family in the area of resettlement did not guarantee support. Moreover, study findings revealed mixed experiences: while study participants recognized the importance of family, many found that their relatives often were too overwhelmed with their own problems to provide support to them as newcomers. In general, support was more forthcoming from family members who had already established themselves in the United States. Conflicts about different values and opinions were most likely to occur among family members who emigrated at different times. Further qualitative research should discover types of family stress and support for various other immigrants in order to identify differences between and similarities with participants in this study sample.
