Description
Currently within the United States, millions of undocumented individuals are struggling with their status, safety, and identity in a country that considers their residency as illegal and taboo. These people often live in constant fear and concern for both their own and their family’s safety, believing they have no one to turn to for support. The following study aims to discover the variables that influence whether a person is likely to provide social support to an undocumented individual, if given the opportunity to do so. Using social identity theory as its theoretical framework, this study assesses whether social identification, political attitudes, and relational involvement play a role in the type of support, if any, a person would provide to an individual within this stigmatized group. Participants (N = 915) completed questionnaires regarding their cultural identity, ethnic identity, and perception of undocumented individuals in order to assess if these factors play a role in determining whether a person will provide social support to an undocumented individual. Hypotheses posited a relationship between social support provided and cultural identification (H1), ethnic identification (H2), and relational type (H3). Results found that ethnic identification, political attitudes, and relationship type were the most significant factors. These findings indicate that identity and perception play influential roles in determining whether a person provides social support to an undocumented individual. Results gained from this study may allow undocumented individuals to feel more confident in seeking social support from others, thus having the potential to improve the overall health and well-being of this group of people across the nation. Keywords: undocumented, identity, social support
