A Mixed-Methods Approach to Understanding Complex Risk Among Newcomer Latina Immigrant Adolescents

• Published in: Peace and conflict 2020-11, Vol.26 (4), p.414-426
• Main Authors: Palacios, Mercedes P., Patel, Sita G., Reed, David E., Poe, Celeste H., Barrera, Alinne Z.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acculturation; Adjustment; Adolescent Characteristics; Adolescent Development; Adolescents; Challenges; Community; Discrimination; Family roles; Female; Health behavior; Hispanic Americans; Human; Immigrants; Immigration; Internalization; Internalizing Symptoms; Latin American cultural groups; Latinos/Latinas; Mental health; Mixed methods research; Newcomers; Risk; Risk Factors; Social justice; Social programs; Stress; Symptoms; Teenagers; Violence; Women
• ISSN: 1078-1919; 1532-7949
• DOI: 10.1037/pac0000405

Recently arrived newcomer immigrant Latina adolescents experience the intersecting challenges of acculturative adjustment and rapid developmental changes. In particular, the economic struggles facing many newcomer families may pose significant risk to Latina adolescents' well-being, given their increasing roles and responsibilities within the family. Given the rapid increase in Latina youth arriving in the United States in recent years, more research is needed to better understand the impact of multiple risk factors on their psychological and behavioral health. To address this gap, this study used a mixed-methods approach to explore the contribution of four common challenges (economic difficulties, discrimination, language difficulties, and community violence) on 122 Latina adolescent newcomers' internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Results demonstrated that, indeed, economic challenges pose the widest ranging risk, in predicting internalizing symptoms. Whereas language difficulties predicted internalizing symptoms, discrimination and community violence were unrelated to psychological outcomes. Qualitative interviews with 15 newcomer Latinas explored more deeply the complexities of economic and language difficulties faced. By taking a mixed-methods and community-based approach, this study deepens our knowledge of a growing, highly vulnerable, and little-studied population. Economic and language challenges can create significant adjustment problems. It is therefore critical that service providers and school officials consider these challenges when working with newcomer immigrants, especially with Latina adolescent newcomers. This research is an important step toward developing community and school level policies and programs to improve social justice by fostering the successful adjustment of Latina newcomer adolescents. Impact and Implications Our study explores the impact of common immigration-related risk factors on multiple behavioral and emotional outcomes to gain a better understanding about the unique experiences of newcomer Latina immigrant adolescents. Our findings highlight the various challenges faced by Latinas, including their own description of their lived experiences. This research is an important step toward developing community and school level policies and programs to improve social justice by fostering the successful adjustment of Latina newcomer adolescents.