Stressful Life Events and Associated Challenges Faced by Undocumented Adolescents

• In Event: Poster Session 12
  In Poster Session: PS 12 Topic - Race, Ethnicity, Culture, Context

Abstract

The wellbeing of undocumented adolescents is threatened in several ways given their and their families’ precarious immigration statuses. About 25% of all immigrants in the U.S. are undocumented according to one recent estimate (Pew Research Center, 2019). Undocumented adolescents live with a variety of challenges in their everyday lives, which have been heightened with the rise of President Trump (Authors, 2019), and prior studies indicated threats to their psychological well-being such as anxiety (Brabeck & Sibley, 2015; Suárez-Orozco et al., 2017). Szaflarski et al. (2017) found that stressful life events and everyday stress were related to acquired and persistent anxiety disorders among immigrants regardless if they were foreign- or U.S. born. The link between anxiety and stressful life events and challenges of undocumented adolescents is clear. However, the details of stressful life events among undocumented adolescents remain largely unknown, and the ways in which they experience challenges as undocumented adolescents in their everyday lives are under-reported. Following the developmental model of undocumented children and adolescents (Suárez-Orozco et al., 2011), this qualitative study examines how undocumented immigrant adolescents experienced stressful life events and associated challenges in their everyday lives based on perspectives from both adolescents and their parents/guardians. Specific research questions are: (a) What stressful life events have undocumented adolescents experienced? and (b) What associated challenges have these adolescents faced as a result of these stressful life events?

Semistructured interviews were conducted with 16 undocumented adolescents and 16 of their parents between October 2016 and May 2018, which includes a period when Michigan experienced a 30% increase in deportation proceedings (The Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, 2019). Data were collected from a total of 12 families who resided in three urban centers in Michigan. Adolescent and parent interviews were conducted separately. The participants included eight women and eight men adolescents, and 12 women and four men parents/guardians. The average age of the adolescent participants was 18 years. The average for the parents/guardians was 43.

The participants shared various stressful life events including their migration to the U.S. and (in the case of many of the youth) becoming aware of their immigration status. The adolescents and their parents also discussed their challenges due to undocumented immigration status, such as keeping their immigration status concealed, limited opportunities at school, and living in constant fear of deportation, especially deportation of family members, which in turn leads to family separation and concerns for siblings who are U.S. citizens. Examining their experiences and challenges in depth would help increase understanding of how their lives look from their perspectives, and how immigration plays a role in their development. Due to their immigration status, they are least likely to seek professional help for their physical and mental health (Cha et al., 2019; Gelatto, 2016). It is urgent and crucial to develop more protective measures and supportive systems in their communities.

Authors

• Toko Oshio, University of Michigan - Flint
  Presenting Author

• H. Kenny Nienhusser, University of Connecticut
  Non-Presenting Author