Children of immigrant background, despite problems with acculturation, poverty, and discrimination, have better mental health than children of native parents. We asked whether this is a result of immigrant families' characteristics such as family structure and relations. Using a new comparative study on the integration of immigrant-background youth conducted in England, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden (N = 18,716), particularly strong associations with mental health (internalizing and externalizing problems) were found for family structure, family cohesion, and parental warmth. Overall, half of the advantage in internalizing and externalizing problems among immigrant-background youth could be accounted for by our measures of family structure and family relations, with family cohesion being particularly important. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Marriage and Family published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of National Council on Family Relations.

immigrants Family relations Mental health Adolescents Family

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