132. Perceived Context of Reception And Mental Health Among Hispanic And Somali Youth

Abstract

Host community’s receptivity to immigrant and refugee populations can play a significant role in the adaptation to life in United States, a transition that can challenge the mental and behavioral health of adolescents. Context of reception is a measure that captures newcomer’s perceptions of the level of openness or hostility of a receiving community and the social and economic opportunities available to them. Prior work has demonstrated that negative contexts of reception are associated with depression in Hispanic adolescents. However, the association between negative and positive context of reception and mental health among diverse immigrant and refugee adolescent populations has not been well researched. This study investigates the relationship between perceived positive and negative context of reception and symptoms of anxiety and depression among Hispanic and Somali immigrant and refugee youth. Data are from 113 Hispanic and Somali youth participating in the community-based survey, Promoting Effective Coping Among Youth study in Minnesota. Data collection is ongoing with 300 youth responses anticipated by December, 2018. Multivariable linear and logistic regression models assessed the direct association between perceived context of reception (positive and negative dimensions of the construct) and depression and anxiety (adjusting for age, gender, family composition, and length of stay in the US). Interaction terms tested whether these relationships were similar or different for Hispanic and Somali youth (adjusting for covariates). The current sample was evenly split by gender and was 61% Hispanic and 39% Somali. Overall, 85% of youth reported symptoms of anxiety and 68% met the criteria for depression. Bivariate analyses suggest no differences in anxiety or depression scores between Hispanic and Somali youth. However, multivariable analyses indicated a significant relationship between context of reception and anxiety and depression. Every unit increases in the perceived negative context of reception score was associated with an increase in anxiety symptoms (β =.16 SE: 01-.28) among both Hispanic and Somali youth. There were ethnic differences in the association between negative context of reception and depression. Although Somali youth were at greater risk for depression (AOR: 4.1, 95% CI: 1.2-13.4), as scores of perceived negative context of reception increased, Hispanic youth were at significantly more likely to meet criteria for depression than their Somali peers (p < .05). Negative contexts of reception adversely affect immigrant and refugee youths’ mental health. These preliminary findings highlight the need for prevention programs that support adolescents as they navigate this difficult transition period. One promising approach is to train educators and practitioners to address the stressors of adapting to life in the US and to leverage culturally specific protective factors. At the individual level, such efforts can help attenuate the sense of marginalization and isolation that increase risk for anxiety and depression. At the community level, sensitizing receiving-communities to the needs of immigrants’ and raising awareness that transition supports will foster immigrant contributions to receiving communities and reduce health disparities is needed. Research examining the role of diverse coping strategies in these relationships will be discussed.