Depression and Anxiety Among First-Generation Immigrant Latino Youth

Abstract

We examined how the migration and acculturation experiences of first-generation Latino youth contributed to their psychological well-being. Data came from the Latino Adolescent Migration, Health, and Adaptation (LAMHA) study, which surveyed 281 first-generation Latino immigrant youth, ages 12–19. Using logistic regression, we evaluated how migration stressors (i.e. traumatic events, choice of migration, discrimination, and documentation status) and migration supports (i.e. family and teacher support, acculturation, and personal-motivation) were associated with depressive symptoms and anxiety. We found that migration stressors increased the risk of both depressive symptoms and anxiety. Time in the US and support from family and teachers reduced the risk of depressive symptoms and anxiety. Compared to documented adolescents, undocumented adolescents were at greater risk of anxiety, and children in mixed-status families were at greater risk of anxiety and marginally greater risk of depressive symptoms.

Sadly Awake: Short Sleep Duration and Depressive Symptoms among Adolescents

“…Our results suggest that Hispanic adolescents may have greater odds of depression than other racial groups, a finding consistent with previous studies [36,37]. The stress of immigrant acculturation may cause increased risk of depression and suicide ideation [38].…”

Do Social Resources Protect Against Lower Quality of Life Among Diverse Young Adolescents?

“…Finally, it was unexpected that other adult support was not associated with QL among Hispanic youth given previous research showing that teacher support and mentoring of at-risk Latino youth yields decreases in depressive symptoms, anxiety, and problem behaviors (Barron-McKeagney, Woody, & D'Souza, 2001;Potochnick & Perreira, 2010). This may be due to the greater emphasis on adults inside, as opposed to outside, the family among Hispanic youth (Miranda et al, 2006;Skogrand et al, 2008).…”

“…For example, teacher support, in addition to family cohesion, was associated with more favorable outcomes in adolescents (Felner, Aber, Primavera, & Cauce, 1985) and perceived increases in teachers' support predicted decreases in depressive symptoms and increases in self-esteem (Reddy, Rhodes, & Mulhall, 2003). In first-generation Latino youth, teacher support reduced internalizing symptoms (Potochnick & Perreira, 2010). Connection with teachers and peers has been associated with better health among African American and Latino youth (Solberg, Carlstrom, Howard, & Jones, 2007).…”

Language Barriers in Hispanic Patients: Relation to Upper-Extremity Disability

“…Given the continued growth of the Latino population and concomitant rise in the demand for health care [26,30,31], it is a public health priority to gain a better understanding of the factors contributing to poor health status in immigrant patients.…”