Symposia
Culture / Ethnicity / Race
Yazmin Meza Lazaro, PhD
University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Blanche Wright, M.A.
Doctoral Candidate
University of California Los Angeles
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Anna S. Lau, Ph.D.
Professor
UCLA
Los Angeles, California
Research on the implications of immigration and documentation status has been largely ignored in studies of child mental health despite the fact that 1 in 4 American youth are in immigrant families (Casey Foundation, 2021). Undocumented Latinx immigrants experience numerous stressors that negatively impact mental health (MH) outcomes including the fear of detention/deportation and limited material resources (Garcini et al., 2017; Giano et al., 2020). Yet, immigrants and children of immigrants are less likely than non-immigrants to use MH services when in need (Finno-Velazquez et al., 2016; Gudiño et al., 2008). Structural access barriers, such as lack of health insurance, may help explain low use (Derr, 2016). Worry related to immigration like concerns about privacy, confidentiality, and fears about public charge (use of public services leading to denial of a visa or green card) may also deter care. This study aims to examine whether youth reported immigration-related problems and worry (IP&W) moderates the relationship between MH need and help-seeking. A stratified random sample of 4th-12th grade students was obtained yielding a sample of 445 students who self-identified as Latinx and were either immigrants themselves or had at least one immigrant parent. Youth reported mental health need on the Emotional Problems scale of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and help-seeking behavior on the General Help-Seeking Questionnaire. Preliminary results from an initial multinomial regression model revealed a significant moderation effect such that the association between internalizing problems and informal help-seeking was attenuated among Latinx youth who endorsed IP&W, compared to those who did not endorse these concerns. The moderation effect was not significant in predicting seeking professional help from treatment providers. These findings suggest that Latinx youth who experience IP&W may be reluctant to seek support from caring adults in their networks (e.g., parents, relatives, teachers, clergy) which is problematic as these individuals are important sentinels for initiating care (Guo et al., 2015). These findings suggest targets for intervention in extending the reach of care to stigmatized immigrant youth and families in need of mental health support.