Immigrant youths feel worlds collide from bicultural stress

As the number of adolescents from immigrant families continues to rise, researchers say a pressing question is coming into focus: What does it mean for young people’s mental health to grow up navigating life between cultures?

A new review from University of Michigan and University of Louisville researchers points to one key piece of that puzzle: bicultural stress, the tension some young people feel as they try to meet the expectations of both their family’s cultural traditions and the broader culture they live in.

Researchers found that this stress can affect emotional well-being during a critical stage of life as adolescents develop their identities and prepare for adulthood.

“This research matters because it shows that the mental health challenges faced are shaped not only by individual experiences, but also by the pressure of navigating two cultures at once,” said study co-author Alexander Wasserman, a U-M psychology lecturer.

Key takeaways include:

• Bicultural stress results from the strain of trying to balance the values and expected behaviors of both the overall U.S. culture and a family’s heritage culture; this pressure can harm adolescents from immigrant families.
• Adolescents who experience more frequent bicultural stress have more problems with depression, anxiety, substance use, self-esteem and physical health outcomes.
• Policies that make immigrant families feel unsafe or fear detainment or deportation can worsen the negative effects of bicultural stress.
• Policies and community actions aimed at eliminating bicultural stress can promote better mental health and well-being outcomes in adolescents from immigrant families.
• Actions that prevent bicultural stress include implementing policies to protect access to education and health care and implementing culturally responsive school and community policies.

The findings suggest that supportive communities and thoughtful immigration-related policies could reduce that stress and help young people thrive during a critical stage of development.

The study appears in Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences.

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Gaby Clark

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