Forced Immigration-related Family Separation and Adverse Childhood Experiences: Effects on Mental Health Among Latinx Immigrant Youth in the United States.

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Psychiatry Research, 2025, v. 354: Forced Immigration-related Family Separation and Adverse Childhood Experiences: Effects on Mental Health Among Latinx Immigrant Youth in the United States.
• Journal Article:
  Psychiatry Research
• Personal Author:
  Salerno, John P. ; Castillo, Yecenia ; Castro, Angie ; Boekeloo, Bradley O. ; Alcántara, Carmela
• Description:
  First-generation Latinx immigrant youth face risks for experiencing unique immigration-related traumas, which could exacerbate their mental health. This study aimed to investigate the potential influence of forced immigration-related family separation on the association between traditional adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and mental health (i.e., depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms) among Latinx immigrant youth from the Northern Triangle (NT; El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras).
  
  Primary surveys assessing forced immigration-related family separation, ACEs, and mental health were administered to a sample of NT immigrant youth (N = 172). Multiple linear regression was conducted to examine the study aim.
  
  In main effects analysis, forced immigration-related family separation was significantly associated with depression (B = 2.11, CI = 0.11, 4.11, p = .039) and PTSD (B = 4.01, CI = 0.63, 7.40, p = .021) symptoms. ACEs were significantly associated with depression (B = 1.34, CI = 0.86, 1.81, p < .001), anxiety (B = 1.05, CI = 0.63, 1.47, p < .001), and PTSD (B = 2.17, CI = 1.37, 2.97, p < .001) symptoms. In moderation effects analysis, the association of ACEs on depression (B = -1.21, CI = -2.18, -0.25, p = .014), anxiety (B = -1.00, CI = -1.86, -0.13, p = .024), and PTSD (B = -2.23, CI = -3.84, -0.62, p = .007) symptoms was significantly attenuated among youth who experienced forced immigration-related family separation.
  
  Study findings may underscore the need to consider the inclusivity of immigration-related trauma in ACE assessment tools.
• Content Notes:
  Author manuscript
• Subjects:
  • Adolescent
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Young Adult
  • Adverse Childhood Experiences
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Emigrants and Immigrants
  • Family Separation
  More +
• Keywords:
  • Intersectionality
  • Minority stress
  • Life course
  • Northern Triangle
  • Childhood trauma
  • Family separation
  • Adolescents
  • PTSD
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
• Source:
  Psychiatry Research, 2025, v. 354
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2025.116814
• ISSN:
  0165-1781 ; 1872-7123
• Pubmed ID:
  41187385
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC12857534
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  R36 MH123043/MH/NIMH NIH HHSUnited States/ ; U48 DP006382/DP/NCCDPHP CDC HHSUnited States/
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  El Salvador ; Guatemala ; Honduras ; United States
• Pages in Document:
  116814 (14 pdf pages)
• Volume:
  354
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:344dc8f512df6057ab946d6ac36a8e1dad29d3f3d5a3f4b6098bc40af5b99c6037a37293b95a2b45036222818efacf82fc214ae2bc1bb0c8100c91d0233b9939