Abstract
With global migration at an all-time high, understanding the role of family-related factors in cross-cultural adaptation is crucial yet underexplored. This paper proposes a new Migrant Family Adaptation Framework and reports a meta-analysis of the association between a large set of family-related variables and cross-cultural adaptation with data from 449 studies (Nparticipants = 308,335; neffects = 1,174) conducted between 1988 and 2022. Specifically, we tested nine broad categories of family-related variables underpinning key processes of family resilience (family cross-cultural adjustment, family functioning, lack of family-work conflict, family support, contact with family, presence of family, relationship status, family characteristics, and family attitudes towards living abroad) and three adaptation outcomes (overall, psychological, socio-cultural). Three-level models showed that family cross-cultural adjustment was the strongest and most consistent predictor of migrants’ overall, psychological, and socio-cultural adaptation. In terms of more nuanced sub-indicators, family satisfaction, spousal support, low family conflict, and positive family attitudes towards living abroad showed robust effects. Effects were comparable across migrant, refugee, student, and expatriate samples, except that the effect of family support was stronger for expatriates than migrants, whereas family presence mattered more for migrants than expatriates. Comprehensive sensitivity checks (excluding studies at risk of bias, unpublished reports, and statistical outliers) left the pattern and magnitude of effects virtually unchanged. No evidence of small-study or publication bias was observed. Theoretical implications in light of the new theoretical framework, directions for future research, and policy implications are discussed.