How Mental Health Challenges Can Affect The Life Stages Of A First-Generation Immigrant

First-generation immigrants are at risk of significant mental health complications. This risk may be related to the stress of adapting to a new culture, navigating immigration status, and balancing family expectations while discovering strategies for maintaining overall well-being. The psychological impacts of international migration can manifest differently, depending on an individual’s life stage. Below, explore these impacts and how to find culturally-informed support. 

The psychological impact on children of first-generation immigrants

According to peer-reviewed research, first-generation immigrants are at an increased risk of mental health challenges compared to the settled population of a host country. While first- and second-generation immigrant children who migrate with their foreign-born family members may not face the same active intensity of psychological ramifications of older generational cohorts, they can still experience psychological impacts. These implications may be exacerbated by the immigrant generations with which an individual identifies.

How children may experience firsthand international migration

Children who immigrate under the age of 13 are often called the 1.5 generation, as this is the age group that may assimilate the fastest. However, a child often has no input in the decision to move abroad. For example, a 2010 report on Latino students in the U.S. found that more than 60% had little to no say in the matter, potentially making the move into a stressor rather than a choice or an opportunity for a better life. Language barriers and interactions with nonimmigrant classmates may influence early childhood development. Holding the potentially disparate social expectations of home life and school life may cause confusion about the child’s sense of identity and belonging.

How second-generation immigrants may experience migration

Mental health struggles among immigrant adolescents

Adolescence is often a difficult time in which people explore their individualism and express their personal identity in new ways. An immigrant adolescent may have trouble deciphering and navigating their new social environment, which language barriers and racial tensions may exacerbate.

Further, an immigrant parent may have similar difficulty balancing the cultural environment where they grew up versus that of their child, potentially leading to clashes that may result in the adolescent experiencing heavier social pressures and discrimination in school. According to a 2019 study, parent-child dyads with a smaller acculturation gap report more supportive parenting and fewer adolescent depressive symptoms, whereas mismatched dyads report the opposite.

How immigrant adolescents may take on a caretaking role

According to the American Community Survey distributed by the United States Census Bureau, approximately 23.5% of documented immigrant households speak limited English. Teen children of immigrants may learn the host country's language faster than their parents, allowing them to outperform their parents socioculturally. This acculturation gap may result in the adolescent acting as a translator and caretaker of their parents, assisting them in matters outside the home where language would present a challenge for the parent and emotionally supporting them in adjusting to the new environment.

Statistics on the impact of caretaking roles in first-generation immigrant children 

Children and adolescents in a caretaking role experience psychological distress at nearly double the rate of their first-generation parents, facing depressive symptoms, restlessness, nervousness, hopelessness, and a sense of worthlessness. Structural and interpersonal racial tensions can exacerbate the rates of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in children of immigrants, as can documentation concerns and, in some cases, the risk of deportation for the adolescent and their parents. Those who witness the deportation of their parents, grandparents, or other first-generation immigrants may also experience extreme grief and trauma, sometimes upheaving their entire lives to accompany their family member back to the country they fled. 

Career, education, and well-being of young adult immigrants

Given their own sacrifices, immigrant parents often set high expectations for their children’s success, potentially cultivating a high-pressure environment for children to elevate the social standing of the family, regardless of whether they have state support. This perceived social success might include pursuing higher education. Simultaneously, if the young adult has historically taken on a caretaking role for their parents, their duties may hamper their ability to establish independence, as they may consider it their responsibility to remain in close proximity to help. Family ties are often highly important in certain cultures, which can lead to difficulty setting boundaries. 

Impacts of life after education 

Post-education, a young adult immigrant may face challenges in career advancement due to cultural adaptation and systemic barriers that may be related to authorized legal status or other institutionalized issues. According to a 2018 report by the Pew Research Center, nearly one-quarter of the U.S. foreign-born population is undocumented. Relative to documented individuals, undocumented individuals and individuals in mixed-status families are at an elevated risk of anxiety disorders.

Family responsibilities and stress in immigrants in midlife

If a family makes an international move to a country with little or no support system for immigrants, balancing family life's financial and emotional responsibilities in the host country can be a challenge. This complexity may be compounded by aging parents who may or may not have migrated with them. In addition to the potential language barrier that may make finding work especially difficult, the emotional burden of supporting immigrant adolescents in the new environment while maintaining cultural traditions may take a toll on an immigrant parent.

The mental health challenges of aging first-generation immigrants

Community and cultural connections are often helpful in maintaining mental health and well-being. Loneliness and social isolation are at epidemic levels among older adults, and these are elevated among immigrant populations, as many immigrants rely on one another for social support.

How international migration affects the aging population

A 2020 study comparing the loneliness rates of native and nonnative Dutch residents concluded that a person born abroad is socially and emotionally more lonely because, while they may have similar contact frequency as native Dutch residents, they are less satisfied with their social relationships overall. Since the immigrant population in a given host country is generally heterogeneous, existent social programs that support these individuals tend to offer high-level support that lacks targeted policies for elderly migrants.

Barriers to mental health support for first-generation immigrants

Support for the physical and mental health of first-generation immigrants and their descendants is often limited due to factors like high costs, lack of social programs and state support, and cultural stigmas around mental health. In host countries without socialized healthcare, immigrants with jobs that leave them uninsured or underinsured add to these prohibitive costs.

Immigrants with unauthorized status in their host country may distrust formal services for fear of family separation, system inequities that may result in detainment, and other factors. Low fluency in the local language may also give rise to anxiety and stress at seeking help from outside their immediate community. As a result of these barriers, among others, one 2015 systematic review found that only 6% of Asian and Latino immigrants in the U.S. had ever received mental health care.

Mental health coping strategies for international migration 

Immigrants may build strong support systems within their community, be it with family, friends, support groups, religious consultants, or mental health professionals. Self-care and stress-management techniques may also assist first-generation immigrants in their daily lives as they acclimate to their new environment and seek a new life balance.

For those who are interested in speaking with a licensed mental health professional, online therapy through a platform like BetterHelp can be a way for first-generation immigrants to access culturally sensitive counseling. While it cannot be guaranteed to be matched to a professional therapist who is from your specific cultural background, the platform matches you with an appropriate counselor based on factors like your state and/or the issues you’re dealing with. From their preferred Wi-Fi-enabled space, the individual seeking therapy can avoid cultural stigmata related to seeking help for mental health concerns.

The availability of online therapy has opened the possibility of mental health services to various populations, including immigrants. One 2021 study analyzing the effects of internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) on Arabic-speaking immigrants in Sweden concluded that ICBT somewhat mitigated mental health stigma and acted as a precursor to seeking other forms of treatment for mental health concerns. For the general population, ICBT through platforms has proven to be an effective treatment option for anxiety and depression. These two mental health concerns are particularly prevalent among first-generation immigrant families.