Application of the Minority Stress Theory: Understanding the Mental Health of Undocumented Latinx Immigrants

This paper applies the Minority Stress framework to data collected from an ongoing community‐based participatory research project with health and social service agencies in Southeast Michigan. We examine the stressors and coping strategies employed by undocumented Latinx immigrants and their familie...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of community psychology Vol. 66; no. 3-4; pp. 325 - 336
Main Authors: Valentín‐Cortés, Mislael, Benavides, Quetzabel, Bryce, Richard, Rabinowitz, Ellen, Rion, Raymond, Lopez, William D., Fleming, Paul J.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: England Blackwell Science Ltd 01.12.2020
Subjects:
Action research
Anxiety
Clinical outcomes
Community
Community research
Community resources
Coping
Coping strategies
Delayed
Deportation
Discrimination
Health problems
Health research
Health status
Hispanic
Identity
Immigrants
Immigration
Immigration policy
Internalization
Interviews
Law enforcement
Medicine
Mental health
Mental health care
Mental health services
Noncitizens
Participatory research
Political leadership
Public health
Racism
Rhetoric
Social agencies
Social environment
Social isolation
Social services
Stress
Stress management
Uncertainty
Undocumented immigrants
United States > US
Michigan
Anxiety
Discrimination
Law enforcement
Hispanic
Racism
Public health
ISSN:0091-0562, 1573-2770, 1573-2770
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:This paper applies the Minority Stress framework to data collected from an ongoing community‐based participatory research project with health and social service agencies in Southeast Michigan. We examine the stressors and coping strategies employed by undocumented Latinx immigrants and their families to manage immigration‐related stress. We conducted in‐depth interviews with 23 immigrant clients at Federally Qualified Health Care Centers (FQHC) in Southeast Michigan and 28 in‐depth interviews with staff at two FQHC's and a non‐profit agency serving immigrants. Findings suggest that immigrants face heightened anxiety and adverse mental health outcomes because of unique minority identity‐related stressors created by a growing anti‐immigrant social environment. Chronic stress experienced stems from restrictive immigration policies, anti‐immigrant rhetoric in the media and by political leaders, fear of deportation, discriminatory events, concealment, and internalized anti‐immigrant sentiment. Though identity can be an important effect modifier in the stress process, social isolation in the immigrant community has heightened the impact of stress and impeded coping strategies. These stressors have resulted in distrust in community resources, uncertainty about future health benefits, delayed medical care, and adverse mental health outcomes. Findings provide a framework for understanding the unique stressors experienced by immigrants and strategies for interventions by social service agencies. Highlights Mental health disparities affecting undocumented Latinx immigrants. Novel application of Minority Stress Theory to a marginalized population. Effect of current sociopolitical climate on Latinx immigrants and their families. Stressors at multiple levels affecting undocumented Latinx immigrant populations and their families. Community‐based participatory approaches to public health research and practice.
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ISSN:0091-0562
1573-2770
1573-2770
DOI:10.1002/ajcp.12455