Authors

• Turjanmaa, Elina (University of Oulu)

Keywords

cultural identity, ethnic minorities, families, forced migration, generations (age), history, interpersonal relations, national background, political oppression, psychological well-being, war

Abstract

The survey explores the mental wellbeing of descendants of Ingric people who have experienced forced emigration, ethnic persecution and family separation in Finland today. The data focuses on the descendants' family relationships and their connection to their Ingric background, as well as on wartime experiences.

First, the survey asked about the respondent's family background in Ingria, and then asked about the respondent's personal relationship to being Ingric. Next, the respondent was asked about family history and recollection of past events. Respondents were asked, for example, whether they felt that their parents or grandparents had spoken openly about matters relating to their own Ingric background or, alternatively, had avoided speaking about these matters. Respondents were also asked about forced migrations in their family and about events in the history of their Ingric relatives, for example during the war. For example, respondents were asked whether their parents or grandparents had been separated from their loved ones because of the war or unstable political circumstances. This was followed by similar questions relating to the war period for respondents' parents or grandparents who did not have an Ingria background.

The survey also asked about respondents' family relationships and communication within the family. First, respondents were asked to rate how close they felt to their parents. This was followed by statements relating to communication in both the childhood family and the current family. Next, the survey moved on to examine respondents' mental well-being. Respondents were asked questions on issues such as quality of life, life satisfaction, loneliness, trusting people and mood. Finally, respondents were asked to provide background information.

Measures used in the survey include Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure - Revised (MEIM-R), War Events Checklist, Thermometer Scale / Feeling Thermometer, Family Communication Scale (FCS), EuroHIS-8 (quality of life indicator), Mental Health Inventory MHI-5 (psychological distress), Sense of Coherence-13 SOC-13.

Background variables included the respondent's age, gender, mother tongue, country of birth, marital status, highest level of education, economic activity, religion, number of children and siblings, household's gross annual income, information on living abroad, parents' and grandparents' country of birth and parents' education.