Language barrier - immigrants and cultural change

The paper presents a survey of salient psychological and psychopathological consequences resulting from language barrier and linguistic as well as cultural change. Regressive sequels, disturbances of higher cerebral activity and other abnormal behaviors are examined in relation to stress caused by immigration and the new language environment. The importance of the native language is stressed. In addition, the added pressure to assimilate imposed by monolingual (usually English-speaking) cultures is discussed.