Family Therapy
Volume 33, Issue 3, 2006, Pages 125-137

Paternal absence and international migration: Stressors and compensators associated with the mental health of Mexican teenagers of rural origin (Article)

Aguilera-Guzmán R.M.* , De Snyder V.N.S. , Romero M. , Medina-Mora M.E.
  • a Division of Epidemiological and Psychosocial Research, NIPRF, Carmino a Xochimilco 101, Tlalpan, Mexico 14370, D.F., Mexico
  • b National Institute of Public Health
  • c NIPRF, Mexico
  • d [Affiliation not available]

Abstract

Mexico-U.S. migration creates situations that may cause psychological distress. The purpose of this research project was to study the impact of father's physical absence due to international migration (FPAIM) on adolescent offspring of rural, immigrants from Zacatecas, Mexico. Stressors and compensators were studied from the adolescent's perspective and were analyzed using a stress-mediator-consequences theoretical framework. Qualitative (n = 24) and quantitative (n = 310) methodologies were used with a nonrandom sample of adolescents. Results show that the FPAIM is an ambivalent experience for adolescents that has positive and negative elements. Though migrants' children seem to be more vulnerable to psychosocial stress than are the offspring of nonmigrants, gender, not father's absence, appears to be the most important risk factor for psychological distress.

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Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-33845489275&partnerID=40&md5=fd6d28debc72ec1d108d24cd9b7a80b0
ISSN: 00916544
Cited by: 2
Original Language: English