The Relationship between Mental Health, Acculturative Stress, and Academic Performance in a Latino Middle School Sample

Abstract

This study evaluated the relationship between acculturative stress, symptoms of internalizing mental health problems, and academic performance in a sample of 94 Latino middle school students. Students reported on symptoms indicative of depression and anxiety related problems and acculturative stress. Teachers reported on students' academic behavior and performance. Acculturative stress and symptoms of internalizing mental health problems were found to have a significant inverse association with students' academic performance. Implications for the development of culturally responsive interventions that address mental health problems and acculturative stress are discussed.

The impact of stress on later literacy achievement via grit and engagement among dual language elementary school students

“…These dual language learners' combined low-income, ethnic minority, and dual language status may make them particularly vulnerable to the risk factor of stress. The significant negative prediction of literacy achievement by the risk factor of stress is consistent with negative relations reported in two studies with Latina/o middle and high school students (Albeg et al, 2014;Alva et al, 1999); however, unlike the present study, these previous studies did not test stress-achievement relations while adjusting for previous achievement, which sets a higher bar for prediction.…”

“…For instance, the limited number of studies which have examined Latina/o youth stress and achievement have found that general life stress may contribute to lower standardized reading and math scores for Latina/os in middle childhood (Brabeck, Sibley, Taubin, & Murcia, 2016) and in high school (Alva & de los Reyes, 1999;Gillock & Reyes, 1999). Albeg and Castro-Olivo (2014) found negative consequences of acculturative stress on teacher-rated academic performance among Latina/o middle school students. Strikingly, little research has been done on the relation of any types of stress with achievement among diverse elementary school samples (Levy et al, 2016).…”

Understanding the role of acculturative stress on refugee youth mental health: A systematic review and ecological approach to assessment and intervention

“…This poor adaptation may cause identity confusion, familial conflict, as well as problems at work and school (Berry, 1992). Compared to their non-immigrant counterparts, the psychosocial development of immigrant/refugee children and adolescents is further disrupted as they are forced to adapt to a new culture, school, and peers (Mena et al., 1987), with acculturative stress being associated with depression and anxiety (Choi, 2008), and poor academic outcomes (Albeg & Castro-Olivo, 2014).…”

Resettling into a new life: Exploring aspects of acculturation that could enhance the mental health of young refugees resettled under the humanitarian programme

“…A systematic review examining risk and protective factors affecting the health of refugee children resettled around the world identified acculturative stress as a main risk factor impacting their socio-emotional development (D'Abreu et al 2019). Other identified issues experienced by resettled young refugees include poor academic outcomes, ongoing trauma, settling into a new community, adapting to a different language and cultural systems, or coping with the loss of own sociocultural lifestyle (Albeg & Castro-Olivo 2014;Mulligan et al 2017). Strong links have also been made between pre-migration trauma and mental illness during resettlement (Miller & Rasmussen 2017), accentuating the need for mental health practitioners, particularly nurses, to develop cultural competency when caring for this specific group of people (Mulongo, 2019).…”

“…2019). Other identified issues experienced by resettled young refugees include poor academic outcomes, ongoing trauma, settling into a new community, adapting to a different language and cultural systems, or coping with the loss of own sociocultural lifestyle (Albeg & Castro‐Olivo 2014; Mulligan et al . 2017).…”