The Trauma And Stress Of Undocumented Latino Immigrants In The Us
Introduction
Imagine your life not making any progress and being limited to your opportunities. The need of having to provide for yourself and your loved ones and having no means to provide makes you consider your options. Being in a country where it is filled with poverty, violence, and no opportunities is what drives for many individuals to seek better opportunities. Immigration is difficult decision to make but one that many Latinos make each day. Already coming with trauma from their situation in their country, and then continue with taking the risk of migrating to the US the leaves many immigrants highly traumatized, and finally actually making it to this country and living with the pressure and fears on a daily basis of being undocumented. With all these factors working specifically against this population it is adamant research is conducted to help with their mental health. The research conducted for this study will take into consideration the trauma, stress and coping skills endured and utilized by the Latino population.
There is a gap in research on this topic where several articles show the missing information for this specific population. The amount of limited literature available is shown in Acculturative Stress Among Documented and Undocumented Latino Immigrants where it states the language difficulties, cultural differences, and separation from family that can lead to acculturative stress is something has not really been taken into consideration in research. “Understanding of the factors related to the mental health of Hispanics is limited despite the growing numbers and diversity observed in the Hispanic population and despite the identified stressors experienced by this group”. In Trauma Exposure, Mental Health, and Service Utilization Rates Among Immigrant and Untied States-Born Hispanic Youth: Result From the Hispanic Family Study the sole purpose of this study was to fill in the gaps in literature in trauma exposure, psychiatric orders and service utilization rate disparities among immigrant and US born Hispanics. “No prior study has directly investigated how undocumented Latinos/as might compare their group’s perceived social experiences against those documented Latinos and whether these social comparisons might relate to their psychosocial health. “ Given the rise in the undocumented population and limited empirical research we seek to identify what specific strategies this population uses to cope”. “Very little is known in regards to the effects of fear of deportation on the psychological functioning of Hispanic immigrants and their families”. Every article gathered described what a huge gap in literature and research there has been and why these studies are so important.
Existing Research
What I was able to find in my research was limited of course but it discussed the coping styles used by immigrants when arriving to the US. As well as a comparison in regards to trauma on the immigration youth vs. US born Hispanics as it provides a good comparison on the different experiences but also similarities. Additionally the acculturative stress endured by immigrants while they are here in the US. Finally the different psychological experience endured from undocumented immigrants and documented immigrants. Cobb, Xie, and Sanders (2016) conducted the study on depression and coping styles among undocumented Hispanic immigrants. They had a sample size of 122 undocumented immigrants where surveys were provided to the participants. Their participants consisted of both male and female, ages ranged 18-52, and participants were located in Arkansas and Texas. Correlations between coping styles and depressions were studied on as well what coping style was most frequently used by undocumented Hispanics. They found that praying, mediation, and seeking comfort from others was mostly used. Another study conducted by Cobb and other researchers where they explored the different perceptions of legal status that is associated with the psychological experience among undocumented immigrants. Survey packets were provided in both English and Spanish to the 140 participants. The participants in this research consisted of both genders, the regions being Texas and Arkansas, low-income status, and their length of residency in the US. The participants were asked what their perception on the different experience of being document or an undocumented immigrant. The differences were determined by discrimination, context of reception, satisfaction with life, and residency length in the US. The results concluded the undocumented immigrants felt they had a different experience then documented immigrants.
We then move forward to the research from Bridges and other professionals completed in regards to the trauma exposure on undocumented immigrant youth vs. US born Hispanics as well with service utilization in mental health. 204 foreign and US-born Hispanics around the age of 9-17 both male and female and their caregivers as well participated. Interviews were conducted with both the youth and their caregivers. This study analyzed the different forms of traumas and the gap in trauma exposure, psychiatric disorders, and service utilization. This study showed that the exposure of trauma is actually pretty similar in the Latino community regardless of being undocumented or US born. Unfortunately community violence is what trended as the exposure to trauma and the services utilization resulted similar as well. Dunn and O’Brien looked into the stress, social support, and religious coping used in the undocumented Latino community. With 179 Central American immigrants located in Washington they looked into their social support, religious dimensions, and gender. Participants were provided with questionnaires and they were measured with the Perceived Stress Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, RCOPE, Brief Symptom Inventory, Meaning of Life Questionnaire, and Demographic Questionnaire. These questionnaires were used to determine the relation for stress, social support, religious coping, and psychological functions for Central Americans. There was actually positive results shown in this study in regards to the social and religious support used by Latinos. Stress levels were shown low to moderate as well.
The final study reviewed was in regards to acculturative stress for both undocumented and documented immigrants here in the US. 416 documented and undocumented immigrants participated in this study where they completed questionnaires where the difference and prevalence where 3 different challenges were determined. They showed that immigration-related challenges were highest among undocumented immigrants. There is certain thing missing in each one of these studies one of them is the location needing to be more then certain states and if possible recruiting a whole range of different regions and different Latin American countries not just specifically Central America or Mexico. I found a greatly amount of limited literature on trauma specifically in regards to the undocumented experience. The article that I found was focused majority on the youth, which unfortunately doesn’t provide the wide age range, needed in regards to the trauma endured by many on their way to the US. In regards to stress, depression, and coping styles I was able to find several literature but there were always certain limitations as pre-migration and post migration stress not being compared, language barriers, and the social desirability of participants.
Conclusion
What we can conclude from reviewing these articles is that there is still much literature missing for this population. If we want to make an impact on this community it is important to continue to do research especially with such difficult time they are currently enduring. Recruitment, participation, and accommodations is not an easy task but is something imperative that is needed. “Variables which contribute to a healthy psychological functioning among Latinos immigrants are virtually ignored in psychology literature”. It makes it a difficult obstacle for mental health professionals to work with this population if we are not providing enough research and information for them to work with.
References
- Cobb, C. L., Meca, A., Xie, D., Schwartz, S. J., & Moise, R. K. (2017). Perceptions of legal status: Associations with psychosocial experiences among undocumented Latino/a immigrants. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 64(2), 167–178. https://doi-org.ezp.twu.edu/10.1037/cou0000189
- Cobb, C. L., Xie, D., & Sanders, G. L. (2016). Coping styles and depression among undocumented hispanic immigrants. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 18(4), 864-870. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezp.twu.edu/10.1007/s10903-015-0270-5
- Bridges, A. J., de Arellano, M. A., Rheingold, A. A., Danielson, C. K., & Silcott, L. (2010). Trauma exposure, mental health, and service utilization rates among immigrant and United States-born Hispanic youth: Results from the Hispanic family study. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 2(1), 40–48. https://doi-org.ezp.twu.edu/10.1037/a0019021
- Dunn, M. G., & O’Brien, K. M. (2009). Psychological Health and Meaning in Life: Stress, Social Support, and Religious Coping in Latina/Latino Immigrants. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 31(2), 204–227. https://doi.org/10.1177/0739986309334799
- Arbona, C., Olvera, N., Rodriguez, N., Hagan, J., Linares, A., & Wiesner, M. (2010). Acculturative Stress Among Documented and Undocumented Latino Immigrants in the United States. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, Benitez, E. C. (2018). Contributions of documentation status, spiritual coping, and acculturation on the stress level of adult hispanic immigrants (Order No. 10786979). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (2035425548). Retrieved from https://ezp.twu.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.ezp.twu.edu/docview/2035425548?accountid=7102
