Meta-Analysis of Acculturation and Suicide-Related Outcomes: A Test of the Immigrant Paradox.

OBJECTIVE: This meta-analysis aimed to systematically test the relation between acculturation and suicide-related outcomes among immigrants, with attention to key methodological (i.e., measure of suicide-related outcome, measure of acculturation) and demographic (i.e., race, gender, age, geographic region, publication year) moderators. METHOD: We conducted a meta-analysis of 72 independent samples from 50 studies (38 peer-reviewed articles, 12 dissertations) representing more than 1.4 million immigrants. Participants' age ranged from 11.20 to 74.70 years (M = 29.96, SD = 15.07). Random effects models were used for both main and moderation analyses. RESULTS: We found significant positive associations between acculturation and suicidal ideation, but not suicide attempts and deaths. We also found a significant and positive effect of acculturation on suicide-related outcomes when acculturation was measured by psychological scales, but not by generation status, length of residence in the host country, and proficiency in the host country's language. More acculturated Latinx immigrants were at higher risk for suicide-related outcomes, whereas a reverse pattern was found among Asian immigrants. Meta-regressions revealed that the moderating effects of participants' age and publication year were also significant. CONCLUSION: Our results show partial support for the immigrant paradox but suggest that the relation between acculturation and suicide-related outcomes is complex and multifaceted. We discuss the implications of our findings and recommendations for research and prevention.

Meta-Analysis on the Relation Between Acculturation and Alcohol Use Among Immigrant Youth.

PURPOSE: We empirically examined the relation between acculturation and alcohol use in immigrant youth, with attention to demographic and methodological moderators. METHODS: We identified 43 studies (38 empirical studies published in peer-reviewed journals and 6 dissertations) yielding 66 independent samples and 118 effect sizes. The total sample size was 61,851 immigrant youth from birth to 25 years of age (M = 937.14, standard deviation = 1,271.24) with a mean age of 15.50 years (standard deviation = 2.46). RESULTS: The average effect size for the fixed effects model was .04 with a 95% confidence interval of .03-.05, which was significantly different from zero (p < .001). The average effect size for the random effects model was .05 with a 95% confidence interval of .02-.08, which was significantly different from zero (p = .002). Location of the study, age of participants, type of measurements used to assess acculturation and alcohol use, and publication year were significant moderators. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analytic review supported the immigrant paradox in which acculturation puts immigrant youth at risk for alcohol use. Several demographic and methodological factors also moderated this relation in a significant way. Important implications are discussed.

The Impact of 9/11 and the War on Terror on Arab and Muslim Children and Families.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: There is a growing body of work that documents the impact of 9/11 and the war on terror on Arab and Muslim children and families. This review is designed to provide a brief overview and suggest new ways to better understand this understudied population. RECENT FINDINGS: Several studies show anti-Arab and anti-Muslim sentiments at its highest levels since 9/11. There is strong evidence that Arab and Muslim children and families experience some of the highest levels of discrimination, and as a result, they report higher levels of mental health symptoms. Given the limited data, we need future studies (a) to focus on populations outside of the USA and Europe; (b) to use longitudinal designs; (c) to pay attention to within group variations by race, gender, social class, and immigration status; and (d) to use culturally validated instruments.

Acculturative Stress and Mental Health: Implications for Immigrant-Origin Youth.

"In this article, the authors provide an overview of the current global and US debates on immigration as a key developmental context for immigrant-origin youth. Relying on a conceptual framework that highlights both risk and protective factors, the authors provide evidence from their longitudinal study that empirically links acculturative stress to key mental health outcomes during adolescence. They conclude with a discussion of clinical implications of their work with an emphasis on what is needed to meet the growing mental health needs of immigrant youth."

Discrimination-related stress effects on the development of internalizing symptoms among Latino adolescents.

This three-wave longitudinal study of 173 Latino adolescents (M = 16.16 years, SD = 0.65) is designed to understand the role of discrimination-related stress in mental health trajectories during middle to late adolescence with attention to differences due to immigration status. The results of the growth curve analysis showed that anxious-depressed, withdrawn-depressed, and somatic complaints significantly decreased over time. Furthermore, although discrimination-related stress was found to be significantly related to the trajectories of three types of mental health symptoms, the results revealed that immigration status moderated these relations such that discrimination-related stress was significantly related to these outcomes for Latino youth whose parents were born in the United States, while this relation was not significant for Latino children of immigrants.

The role of collective self-esteem on anxious-depressed symptoms for Asian and Latino children of immigrants.

We conducted a 3-wave, longitudinal study to examine the role of ethnic collective self-esteem and United States (U.S.) collective self-esteem on anxious-depressed symptoms over time among Asian and Latino immigrant-origin adolescents (n = 171). Growth curve analysis revealed that anxious-depressed symptoms first decreased between 10th and 11th grade and then increased over time for both groups. Additionally higher levels of ethnic collective self-esteem were associated with lower levels of anxious-depressed symptoms only for Asian adolescents. There was a differing pattern for U.S. collective self-esteem such that for Latino adolescents, higher U.S. collective self-esteem was associated with higher anxious-depressed symptoms, whereas for Asian adolescents there was an inverse relationship with anxious-depressed symptoms. The results expand the literature on ethnic and U.S. collective self-esteem and their link to mental health. Implications of the findings for research in general, and for counseling immigrant youth and families in particular, are discussed.

Mediators of the relationship between acculturative stress and internalization symptoms for immigrant origin youth.

The present study examines the generational differences in the relation between acculturative stress and internalizing symptoms (i.e., anxiety and depression) with a sample of 304 urban residing first- and second-generation immigrant adolescents. In addition, the role of perceptions of social support-a critical element to healthy immigrant adolescent adaptation-is explored as a mediator of this relation. Results indicate that first-generation adolescents report more acculturative stress and internalizing symptoms than do second generation. Employing a moderated mediation framework (Preacher, Rucker, & Hayes, 2007), we find that perceptions of both emotional and academic social support mediate the relation between acculturative stress and internalizing symptoms for the first generation but not for the second. Our findings serve to expand the discourse of the "immigrant paradox" (García Coll & Marks, 2011).

The role of acculturative stress on mental health symptoms for immigrant adolescents: a longitudinal investigation.

Immigrant-origin adolescents represent the fastest growing segment of youth population in the United States, and in many urban schools they represent the majority of students. In this 3-wave longitudinal study, we explored trajectories of internalizing mental health symptoms (depression, anxiety, and somatic symptoms). The participants included 332 urban-residing first-and second-generation immigrant adolescents (44% male). Participants were recruited in 10th grade (Mage = 16.20 years, SD = 1.19), and 2 additional waves of data were gathered in 12-month intervals. Both generational and racial/ethnic background of the participants reflected the general demographics of urban centers in the United States. With individual growth curve modeling, the results show significant decline in internalizing mental health problems during the high school years. At the same time, greater exposure to acculturative stress predicted significantly more withdrawn, somatic, and anxious/depressed symptoms. Gender and generation status differences in internalizing mental health problems were also identified.

Exploring dual identification among Muslim-American emerging adults: a mixed methods study.

This mixed methods study explored dual identification among Muslim-American emerging adults of immigrant origin. A closer look was taken at the relationship between American and Muslim identifications and how this relationship was influenced by experiences of discrimination, acculturative and religious practices, and whether it varied by gender. Data were gathered from 97 Muslim Americans (ages 18-25) who completed a survey and produced identity maps, a pictorial representation of hyphenated identities. The findings showed that young people found a way of allowing their Muslim and American identities to co-exist, and only a small minority of the participants seemed to experience identity conflict. While religiosity was the only predictor of Muslim identification, young peoples' identification with mainstream United States culture was predicted by discrimination-related stress and acculturative practices. Gender moderated the relationship between Muslim and American identities in both survey measures and identity maps.