Age of Immigration and Depressive Symptoms Among Young Adult Latinx Immigrants: A Test of Explanatory Models.

Abstract

Introduction: Latinx immigrants who migrate to the United States (US) as young children are more likely to experience depression than those who migrate later in life. Our purpose is to test three models that may explain the relationship between age of immigration and depressive symptoms among Latinx immigrants. Methods: A secondary analysis of baseline data from a community-based, longitudinal study of Latinx young adults in the US Southeast was conducted. Latinx immigrants who migrated before the age of 19 years (n = 157) were included, and path analysis was conducted. Results: Age of immigration and depressive symptoms were negatively related (b = -0.19, S = 0.08, p = .015), while acculturative stress and depressive symptoms were positively related (b = 0.04, SE = 0.01, p < .001). No significant indirect effects were found. Conclusion: Our results highlight the importance of assessing acculturative stress and age of immigration as social drivers of mental health in Latinx immigrant children.