BOSNIAN AND VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI: LOCUS OF CONTROL AND INTEGRATION INTO AMERICAN SOCIETY

Given the magnitude of the current refugee crisis, it is increasingly important to understand the factors that impact refugee integration into a host society. Using data collected through surveys of Vietnamese and Bosnian refugees in St. Louis, Missouri, this study aims to explore the impact of internal and external locus of control on refugee integration into American society while controlling for other variables, such as age when the respondent first came to the United States, English competency, and perceived discrimination. Based on the human capability theory, five models were tested, using hierarchical regression analyses. The study found that while internal locus of control had a positive impact on refugees’ integration into American society, external locus of control had a negative impact on refugees’ integration. The findings suggest that while refugees who believe they have personal control over outcomes in their lives will have a greater sense of empowerment and motivation to integrate into a host society, refugees who believe that outcomes in their lives are controlled by luck or fate will have a more defeatist attitude that inhibits them from seeking solutions to integration obstacles.