TY - JOUR

T1 - Household composition after resettlement and emotional health in adolescent migrants

AU - Orjuela-Grimm, Manuela

AU - Marti-Castaner, Maria

AU - Bhatt-Carreño, Silvia

AU - Castro, Maria A

AU - Restrepo Henao, Alexandra

AU - Pinilla, Hector

AU - Rodriguez, Daniela

AU - Ruiz, Ambar

AU - Valentin, Michelle

AU - Levine, Arielle Richey

AU - Gonzalez, Rossmary

AU - Zuleta, Marisa

AU - Pharel, Marisa

AU - Medina, Paola

AU - Lewis-Fernandez, Roberto

N1 - © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - Background: Migration during adolescence constitutes an important stressor that particularly impacts unaccompanied minors (UAM). Adolescent UAM in the United States (U.S.) are relatively understudied, especially regarding their resilience and emotional well-being after resettlement. Small school-based studies have documented the mental health status of UAM who resettled reuniting with their parents. However, many do not resettle with parents and less is known about the degree to which post-resettlement household composition impacts resilience and emotional well-being.Methods: Our goal was to examine how migration characteristics, supports, resilience, and emotional well-being vary by UAM resettlement household composition (reunification with parents, reunification with a non-parental family member, or living in a household not containing any family members). Using a mixed-methods (quantitative-qualitative) cross-sectional approach, we assessed 46 Latin American adolescent UAM to the U.S. who resettled into these three household types.Results: Youth experienced support differently by household type, influencing their strategies for adapting and coping post-resettlement, impacting their resilience (Kruskal Wallis-H 4.8; p<0.09) and emotional well-being (Kruskal Wallis 5.3; p<0.07). Youth living in households without relatives ( n = 9) had lower resilience (Fisher's exact test p<0.002) and positive affect (Fisher's exact test p<0.003) and needed to expend greater efforts to mobilize social supports than youth living with parents ( n = 22) or with non-parental family members ( n = 15). Conclusion: The needs and coping abilities of UAM migrants vary with the composition of their immediate receiving environment, their post-resettlement household. Understanding differences associated with these household characteristics can guide interventions to maximize emotional health and resilience.

AB - Background: Migration during adolescence constitutes an important stressor that particularly impacts unaccompanied minors (UAM). Adolescent UAM in the United States (U.S.) are relatively understudied, especially regarding their resilience and emotional well-being after resettlement. Small school-based studies have documented the mental health status of UAM who resettled reuniting with their parents. However, many do not resettle with parents and less is known about the degree to which post-resettlement household composition impacts resilience and emotional well-being.Methods: Our goal was to examine how migration characteristics, supports, resilience, and emotional well-being vary by UAM resettlement household composition (reunification with parents, reunification with a non-parental family member, or living in a household not containing any family members). Using a mixed-methods (quantitative-qualitative) cross-sectional approach, we assessed 46 Latin American adolescent UAM to the U.S. who resettled into these three household types.Results: Youth experienced support differently by household type, influencing their strategies for adapting and coping post-resettlement, impacting their resilience (Kruskal Wallis-H 4.8; p<0.09) and emotional well-being (Kruskal Wallis 5.3; p<0.07). Youth living in households without relatives ( n = 9) had lower resilience (Fisher's exact test p<0.002) and positive affect (Fisher's exact test p<0.003) and needed to expend greater efforts to mobilize social supports than youth living with parents ( n = 22) or with non-parental family members ( n = 15). Conclusion: The needs and coping abilities of UAM migrants vary with the composition of their immediate receiving environment, their post-resettlement household. Understanding differences associated with these household characteristics can guide interventions to maximize emotional health and resilience.

U2 - 10.1016/j.jmh.2022.100103

DO - 10.1016/j.jmh.2022.100103

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 35493420

VL - 5

JO - Journal of Migration and Health

JF - Journal of Migration and Health

SN - 2666-6235

M1 - 100103

ER -