Migration experiences of Central American youth: Developing a new measure

Abstract

In recent years, the number of children and families migrating from Central America to the United States (U.S.) has increased exponentially (Rosenblum, 2015). Likely due to this influx, research on Latinx immigrants has also increased. However, no standard assessment of youth migration experiences currently exists. The present study introduces a new measure and pilot data on the migration experiences of youth from Central America. The Migration Experiences Interview (MEI) is a 25-question semi-structured interview that encompasses youths' experiences before, during, and after migration to the U.S, covering topics such as their control over the decision to migrate, whether they witnessed frightening situations along their journey, and their experiences living in the U.S. thus far. The present study provides pilot data on a sample of 64 recently migrated Central American youths aged 15 to 25 (39.1% female). The MEI provides in-depth characterizations and narrative examples of migration experiences that add important information on a largely understudied population to the literature. The MEI's standard, publicly available format has utility for increased consistency in future research and implications for clinical practice and immigration policy.