Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 17, Issue 4, 2015, Pages 1225-1230

I Didn’t Ask to Come to this Country…I was a Child: The Mental Health Implications of Growing Up Undocumented (Article)

Stacciarini J.-M.R.* , Smith R.F. , Wiens B. , Pérez A. , Locke B. , LaFlam M.
  • a Department of Health Care Environments and Systems, College of Nursing, University of Florida, 101 S. Newel Drive, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States
  • b Department of Health Care Environments and Systems, College of Nursing, University of Florida, 101 S. Newel Drive, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States
  • c Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
  • d Holy Family Catholic Church, Williston, FL, United States
  • e Administrator Florida Department of Health, Levy County Health Department, Bronson, FL, United States
  • f Meridian Behavioral Healthcare, Inc., Bronson, FL, United States

Abstract

Growing up as an undocumented immigrant and transitioning to “illegal” adulthood can expose the person to adverse social determinants, which can detrimentally affect mental health by acting as chronic stressors. Although there have been several attempts to reform immigration, none have been entirely successful. Recently, the Dream Act and the path toward citizenship may be important steps for reducing mental health disparities among the undocumented, immigrant population. This case report will describe the experiences of one Latino “dreamer”, reveal the effects of an undocumented status on mental health, and posit future directions for mental health promotion in this vulnerable population. © 2014, Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Author Keywords

Latino immigrants Mental health Undocumented

Index Keywords

case report female depression Humans adult ethnology Hispanic Americans Undocumented Immigrants mental health human social isolation undocumented immigrant psychology Hispanic
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84937522110&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-014-0063-2&partnerID=40&md5=0eb636e8d33de2c9240a686e3a8bf791
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-014-0063-2
ISSN: 15571912
Cited by: 14
Original Language: English