Familial Acculturative Stress and Adolescent Internalizing and Externalizing Behaviors in Latinx Immigrant Families of the Southwest

A Scoping Review of Family-Based Interventions for Immigrant/Refugee Children: Exploring Intergenerational Trauma

Immigrant and refugee families often experience significant trauma, which can be transmitted across generations. Nonetheless, little is known about interventions that mitigate intergenerational trauma within these populations. We conducted a scoping review to synthesize research evidence on family-based trauma interventions for immigrant and refugee children and their families, focusing on intergenerational trauma. Our search included peer-reviewed studies published globally from 1990 to 2024 that tested intervention effectiveness using pre- and post-intervention outcomes and involved both children and family members. Five studies met our inclusion criteria, comprising two parenting interventions, two multifamily group interventions, and one schoolbased intervention. All five interventions improved the children's mental health, while mixed findings were shown with parent mental health. Only one study explicitly named intergenerational trauma as their intervention goal, revealing a significant gap in this area. Recommendations for future studies are provided to guide practice and research in this critical area.

Social connectedness and surviving at the margins: Findings from interviews with low-income Latino men in the U.S. Northeast

OBJECTIVES

Structural and interpersonal discrimination can lead to social exclusion and limited social integration, inhibiting the use of support networks to gain access to health-protective material and social resources. Social support theories suggest that connectedness may moderate the link between discrimination and health risk. This study examined how risk factors (i.e., structural and interpersonal discrimination) further marginalize Puerto Rican men by limiting access to social support. We also aimed to identify resiliency factors, such as cultural values related to social interactions and community support, which may be protective for these men's well-being.

METHOD

We conducted 40 semistructured interviews with a stratified purposeful sample of Puerto Rican (92.5%) men aged 25-70 (Mage = 50.7) in the U.S. Northeast. A hybrid deductive and inductive thematic qualitative analysis was used to analyze data.

RESULTS

Participants discussed how structural and interpersonal discrimination result in inequities and barriers to resources and services (e.g., lack of adequate shelter, insecurity, employment) which impacted their well-being through the inability to access fundamental support for survival. The men identified cultural values (e.g., familismo, simpatía) and emphasized the importance of community support as protective factors that may provide a respite from the difficulties of navigating discrimination experiences.

CONCLUSION

Findings suggest discrimination limits Puerto Rican men's ability to access resources, which has a detrimental impact on their well-being. Identifying social support beyond the family, and considering cultural values related to support, can enhance community interventions by focusing on incorporating multiple forms of support that may improve Puerto Rican men's health. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Trajectories of physiological stress markers over time among Latinx immigrants in the United States: Influences of acculturative stressors and psychosocial resilience

AIMS

Latinx immigrants are exposed to acculturative stressors as they adapt to the U.S. However, little is known about the impact of acculturative stressors and psychosocial resilience on physiological responses and health over time. The purpose of this study was to examine trajectories of physiological stress markers among Latinx adults over time and examine the influence of acculturative stressors and psychosocial resilience factors on these different trajectories.

METHODS

A community-based, longitudinal study was conducted with adult Latinx immigrants in North Carolina (N = 391) over a two-year period. Self-reported measures of ten different types of acculturative stressors (e.g., occupational, family, healthcare, discrimination) and psychosocial resilience factors (individual resilience, coping, ethnic pride, familism, and social support) along with urine samples were taken at baseline and 12- and 24-month follow-up periods. Biomarkers of physiological stress (inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-8 and IL-18 and C-Reactive Protein (CRP)) were measured in urine. Multivariate latent class growth analysis, linear mixed models, and unadjusted bivariate analyses were conducted to address the study aims.

RESULTS

Participants were an average of 39 years of age (SD = 6.94) and mostly women (68.8%) and Spanish speakers (83%). Three latent classes of physiological stress marker trajectories were identified: resilient, rapidly increasing stress, and chronic elevated stress. These latent classes had significant differences in gender, race, coping styles, ethnic pride, and parental acculturative stressors.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings from this study identify specific types of acculturative stressors and psychosocial resilience factors that are important targets for health promotion and disease prevention programs for Latinx immigrants.

Stress interventions for immigrant parents in the United States: a scoping review protocol

OBJECTIVE

This review will map stress interventions designed for and implemented among immigrant parents in the United States (US) according to intervention characteristics, participant characteristics, and reported outcomes and measurement tools.

INTRODUCTION

In addition to parenting stressors shared with their non-immigrant counterparts, immigrant parents also face immigration stressors. Although stress interventions can effectively manage, reduce, or prevent stress among non-immigrant populations, we know little about stress interventions designed for immigrant parents in the US. This study will be the first to explore stress interventions implemented among immigrant parents in the US.

INCLUSION CRITERIA

This scoping review will include published, peer-reviewed quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods studies that evaluate stress interventions designed specifically for US immigrant parents with at least 1 child under the age of 18 years. Reported interventions must include stress as a primary or secondary outcome or be labeled as a stress intervention. Stress interventions are broadly defined, with no restrictions on the type of stress targeted (eg, job, general, parenting) or the intervention's nature (ie, prevention vs. management/reduction vs. treatment).

METHODS

A literature search will be conducted in ProQuest's APA PsycINFO and PsycARTICLES, CINAHL Plus (EBSCOhost), ERIC (ProQuest), Embase, MEDLINE (Ovid), International Bibliography of Social Sciences (ProQuest), and the Cochrane Library. Only English-language publications will be eligible, with no date restrictions. Retrieved titles and abstracts will be screened by at least 2 independent reviewers in duplicate. Data will be extracted using a self-developed data extraction tool. Findings will be presented in tabular or diagrammatic format, accompanied by a narrative summary.

REVIEW REGISTRATION

Open Science Framework osf.io/ec39j.

The impact of acculturative stress on internalizing problems among racially and ethnically minoritized adolescents and young adults in the U.S.: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Due to demographic changes of the U.S. population in the past few decades, more attention has been placed on understanding the sociocultural factors that have an impact on the mental health of racially and ethnically minoritized (REM) groups. One factor that has gained increased attention in recent years is acculturative stress. Acculturative stress is associated with negative mental health outcomes, such as depression, anxiety, psychological distress, and suicide ideation (SI). However, the magnitude of this association remains unclear. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to provide a comprehensive review of the impact of acculturative stress on depression, anxiety, psychological distress, and SI among REM youth. We also aimed to explore whether sociodemographic variables (i.e., race/ethnicity, generational status, sex/gender, and age) moderate the relationships between acculturative stress and mental health outcomes. Forty-six peer-reviewed articles examining the link between acculturative stress and internalizing problems among REM youth in the U.S. (mean age range: 13-29) met inclusion criteria and were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. A positive relationship of moderate size between acculturative stress and depression, anxiety, psychological distress, and SI was found. Moderation analyses also revealed that the impact of acculturative stress on depression may be greater among those who are older and for first-generation immigrants. Similarly, its impact on anxiety may also be more pronounced for first-generation immigrants. Results also suggested that the impact of acculturative stress on depression and psychological distress may be greater among men compared to women. These findings highlight the importance of making sure clinicians assess for acculturative stress when working with REM youth, as well as factors that may be contributing to an individual's acculturative stress level.

Consequences of high school bullying on stress and health of Arab American college students

PROBLEM

Existing bullying research among Arab Americans is limited, focusing mainly on school-age adolescents and victimization. There is a lack of studies that examine retrospective bullying perpetration, bullying victimization, and physical fights during high school and their effect on current Arab American college students' stress and health outcomes. This study examines if bullying perpetration, bullying victimization, and physical fights during high school predict current stress and the physical and mental health of Arab American college students. In addition, we examined if perceived psychological stress mediates the relationships between bullying and fighting involvement and health.

METHODS

One hundred and sixty-two undergraduate Arab American college students were recruited from a Midwestern university and completed self-report measures of bullying, stress, and health (both physical and mental).

FINDINGS

Controlling for demographic variables, only high school victimization was significantly associated with current stress and physical and mental health. Stress fully mediated the relationship between victimization and health (both physical and mental).

CONCLUSIONS

Victimization during high school years may result in serious physical and mental health consequences during college years. However, perpetration and fighting may not have similar effects. Addressing stress among bullying victims may reduce the negative impact of this experience on immigrant Arab American college students. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

Stress and Health Outcomes in Midwestern Latinx Youth: The Moderating Role of Ethnic Pride

BACKGROUND

Stress has been linked to numerous health outcomes, including internalizing and externalizing behaviors, self-esteem, and physical health. Culture has also been linked to stress and health. This study examined the links between stress and health, and the potential moderating role of Latinx ethnic pride (LEP).

METHODS

The sample consisted of 119 Latinx youth from the Midwestern U.S. Mothers and youth completed surveys. Variables included the Multicultural Events Scale for Adolescents (MESA), parent and home stressors/risks (PHSR), LEP, depressive symptoms, aggression, frustration, and self-esteem. Research assistants measured child heights and weights and calculated BMI percentiles.

RESULTS

LEP was negatively related to MESA, depressive symptoms, aggression, and frustration, and positively related to self-esteem. MESA and PHSR were associated with depressive symptoms, aggression, frustration, and self-esteem, but not with BMI percentile. In adjusted regression analyses, LEP moderated the effects MESA had on frustration and self-esteem, marginally moderated the link between MESA and depressive symptoms, and was not related to aggression or BMI percentile. LEP did not moderate the relationship between PHSR with any health outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Stressors were generally related to child mental health. LEP may play an important role in protecting against some of the effects of stressful events on mental health outcomes.

The power of local research to inform adverse childhood experiences in substance use prevention in adolescents and adults

Background

The impact of adverse childhood experiences on substance use has been well reported, however, less well documented is looking at the comparison of youth and adult substance use and their respective adverse childhood experiences. This study leveraged local data sources to support prevention efforts inside a state-level working group and examined research questions that explored the relationship between reported adverse childhood experiences and substance use for youth and adult samples at the state level.

Methods

This study conducted a series of logistic regression models (95% CI) between substance use outcomes with different age group populations to investigate the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and substance use for each group. Adverse childhood experiences scores and substance use were examined using two Arizona datasets: 1) Arizona Youth Survey (n = 42,009) and 2) the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (n = 5328).

Results

The results of youth and adult datasets were consistent: users with adverse childhood experiences scores of 4 to 6 had a positive association with more substance use. When the variables were examined, showing the entire sample of youth and adult groups compared to those subgroups with a score of zero, a score of 1 to 3, and a score of 4 to 6, the overall pattern was the same; the more frequent use of substances was directly associated to the group with higher scores. Additionally, findings support increased attention on prevention and intervention efforts with higher reports of adverse childhood experiences as well as substance use.

Conclusions

These findings demonstrate how local research can help prioritize prevention resources and increase the value of data-based decision-making. Policy-makers and providers can examine youth and adult data to compare priorities and assess for planning purposes. Specifically, it is possible to replicate known research findings, identify the most impacted subpopulations, and forecast the community’s future needs.

Under my skin: Parenting behavior and children's cortisol in the Los Angeles family and neighborhood survey

This study examined links between aspects of parenting behavior and children's cortisol and whether those links varied by child behavioral problems and ethnicity. Participants included children ages 9-15 (N = 159, 75% Latinx) and their primary caregivers from the Los Angeles Family and Neighborhood Survey (L.A.FANS; Wave 2). Children provided saliva upon waking, 30 min after waking, and at bedtime which was analyzed for cortisol. Analyses revealed associations between parenting behavior and cortisol were greater among children who had behavioral problems and these associations were stronger among non-Latinx White children compared to Latinx children. This study moves beyond the current literature by investigating these important associations in a predominately Latinx urban sample of children.

Perception of Parental Knowledge by Parents and Adolescents: Unique Effects on Recent Substance Use in a Latinx Sample

The main objective of the current study is to analyze how the unique perspectives from both parents and children in regards to parental knowledge of the child's whereabouts, activities, and friendships are related to the adolescent's recent substance use four months later. Differences between parents and children, as well as between male and female adolescents are examined. Data come from a Latinx sample (mostly Mexican-origin) of 523 parent-adolescent dyads from Arizona (US) using a multi-informant approach (parent and adolescent reports). The results indicate that parents, especially mothers, report higher levels of parental knowledge than adolescents do. The structural equation modeling (SEM) results for the total sample indicate that both parents' and adolescents' unique perception of the level of parental knowledge is negatively related to the adolescents' recent alcohol and cannabis use four months later. Further, multi-group SEM results split by gender indicate that parents' unique perception of higher levels of parental knowledge is only marginally related to lower alcohol use for both males and females, whereas adolescents' unique perception is negatively related to alcohol and cannabis use (significantly) and tobacco use (marginally) for both males and females. No significant gender differences were found in the effects of parental knowledge on substance use. Findings suggest that parents' and adolescents' perceptions seem to be quite distinctive and independent from each other. Implications of these results regarding intervention programs for preventing substance use are discussed.