Perceived Social Support, Coping Styles, and Chinese Immigrants’ Cardiovascular Responses to Stress

Social support and coping strategies are important determinants of health, especially for those in the immigrant community
adjusting to a new environment.

This study assessed the buffering effects of perceived social support and different coping styles on cardiovascular reactivity
to stress among Chinese immigrants in the New York City Chinatown area.

Participants (N = 50, 76% women, and 22–84 years old) completed questionnaires assessing their perceived social support and coping strategy
preferences. They were then asked to recall a stress-provoking event related to their immigration experience in a semi-structured
interview format.

Hierarchical multiple regression analyses confirmed the interaction effect between perceived social support and problem-focused,
emotion-focused, or reappraisal coping on heart rate reactivity. Additionally, Chinese immigrants who upheld more Chinese
values were highly correlated with stronger perceived availability of social support and were more likely to incorporate the
use of problem-focused and reappraisal coping styles.

Findings suggest that high level of social support and the use of reappraisal coping strategies were associated with attenuated
cardiovascular responses to stress.