About this poster

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Panel information
Panel 1. Context: Cross-Cultural, Neighborhood, and Social

Abstract

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The study examined how immigration discrimination was associated with developmental outcomes among immigrant adolescents. While ample evidence has highlighted the crucial link between discrimination and adverse health outcomes among marginalized racial and ethnic adolescents (Benner et al., 2018; Metzner et al., 2022), such explorations among adolescents with an immigrant background are surprisingly less common. The urgency of this research is emphasized by significant demographic changes in the United States (U.S.), where approximately 18 million children under the age of 18 have an immigrant background (Migration Policy Institute, 2023), and 27% of U.S. adolescents are immigrants (Child Trends, 2018). To contribute to the scholarship on immigrant youth, we posed the following research question: how are immigrant adolescents’ experiences with immigration discrimination associated with developmental outcomes (academic achievement, depressive symptoms, and self-esteem)?

Participants included 269 adolescents (Mage = 16.2; SDage = 1.19) from two public high schools in the Western region of the United States. Participants were racially/ethnically diverse: African or African American (n = 8, 3%), American Indian or Alaskan Native (n = 5, 2%), Asian or Asian American (n = 83, 31%), Latinx/Hispanic (n = 116, 43%), Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (n = 3, 1%), White/European (n = 15, 6%), and Multi-ethnic/racial (n = 10, 4%). Genders were female (n = 107, 10%), male (n = 152, 73%), trans female (n = 1, .003%), trans male (n = 4, .01%), and non-binary/enby (n = 3, .01%). The University affiliated with the first author approved the study.

Measures were self-reported. Immigration discrimination was measured using the prompt, “Please indicate how often in the past year you experienced discrimination because you are an immigrant.” Responses ranged from 1 (Rarely) to 5 (Often). Three subscales were included that assessed the source of discrimination: (a) Peers (α = 0.90, “People your age treated you unfairly because you are an immigrant”); (b) School Personnel (α = 0.88, “School staff [principal, counselors] made rude comments about immigrants”), and (c) Community (α = 0.92, “Community adults [neighbor's, store clerks, police] asked you to speak better English”). Developmental outcomes included academic achievement (Grade Point Average), depressive symptoms (Radloff, 1977), and self-esteem (Rosenberg, 1965).

Multiple regression analyses revealed that adolescents experiencing more immigration discrimination across all three subscales (peers, school personnel, and community adults) reported lower academic achievement, lower self-esteem, and more depressive symptoms (see Table 1). These associations remained significant even after controlling for age, gender, race/ethnicity, and maternal education.

This study provides valuable insights into the complex connection between immigration discrimination and a spectrum of developmental outcomes among immigrant adolescents. Findings from this research underscore the critical need for targeted interventions aimed at mitigating immigration discrimination and supporting adolescents in navigating the challenges associated with such experiences. By raising awareness among professionals who serve adolescents, these initiatives have the potential to enhance immediate academic outcomes, improve long-term educational trajectories, foster positive self-concept, and contribute to the overall well-being of immigrant adolescents.

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