Background: With the increasing number of immigrants worldwide, it is essential to have insight into the factors associated with internalizing problems in immigrant youth. However, little research on this subject has been conducted. The aim of the current study is to contribute to the knowledge in this field. Methods: Data were obtained from the general population of 11- to 18-year-old Moroccan immigrant adolescents in the Netherlands. Using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), Youth Self-Report (YSR), and Teacher's Report Form (TRF), 415 parent, 376 self-, and 238 teacher reports were available for analysis. Results: The data showed relations between internalizing problems and several child (externalizing and chronic health problems), proximal family (paternal and maternal support and parent-child conflict), contextual family (conflicts between parents about parenting and total number of life-events), school/peer (being bored), and migration variables (adolescent's perceived discrimination). Moreover, a modest relation was found between internalizing problems and parental psychopathology. Few associations occurred with the global family factor (e.g., family educational level). Several relations between the predictors and YSR internalizing proved to be gender-specific. Conclusions: Our results suggested that the child, school/peer, and proximal family factors are the most important in predicting the development of internalizing problems in Moroccan immigrant adolescents. The impact of the migration factor was small. © Springer-Verlag 2005.

Predictors immigrants internalizing problems Moroccans Adolescents Child Behavior Checklist

self disclosure Netherlands Forecasting social behavior immigrant Morocco Islam correlation analysis human sex difference Self Report risk assessment life event Social Problems social aspect Internal-External Control Child Behavior Disorders social support peer pressure mental disease school child Humans Cross-Cultural Comparison Adolescent family life male Acculturation female social problem risk factor prediction population research peer group Article Family Relations Questionnaires major clinical study adult Child Behavior Checklist Prejudice Sex Factors data analysis Emigration and Immigration Conflict (Psychology) parental behavior social discrimination child parent relation Child