First-generation Immigrant Children Research Articles

Resilience in multicultural classrooms: School relationships can protect the school adjustment of immigrant, refugee and non-immigrant children.

According to the risk and resilience perspective, protective factors can attenuate the effect of risks and challenges on children's adjustment. For immigrant and refugee children, supportive relationships in the new context can be particularly beneficial. We expected that supportive school relationships play a protective role for the school adjustment of first-generation immigrant and refugee and non-immigrant children, by moderating the effect of one acculturative challenge (i.e., school language proficiency). We investigated the moderating roles of teacher-child and peer relationship quality on the association between German language proficiency and school adjustment (i.e., school achievement and belongingness) among first-generation immigrant and refugee and non-immigrant children. We recruited n = 278 fourth grade children (Mage = 10.47, SDage = .55, 53.24% female; 37% first-generation immigrant and refugee children). Questionnaires assessed children's reported teacher-child and peer relationship quality and school belongingness. One vocabulary test measured children's German proficiency. School achievement was assessed by their grade point average (GPA) and by a reading comprehension test. To investigate our hypotheses, we performed path analyses. Teacher-child relationship mitigated the effect of German proficiency on children's reading comprehension among all children and on GPA among immigrant and refugee children only. Peer relationship buffered the negative effect of German proficiency on school belongingness. Teacher-child and peer relationship quality can be beneficial for the school adjustment of both first-generation immigrant and refugee children and non-immigrant children.

Patterns of healthcare use among children with immigrant and non-immigrant backgrounds in 2019 and 2020: evidence from the CRIAS cohort study in the metropolitan area of Lisbon, Portugal

BackgroundInternational migrant families may face various barriers in the access and use of health services. Evidence on immigrant children’s health care or prevention facilities’ utilisation patterns is scarce in Portugal. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to compare health services use between immigrant and non-immigrant children in the Metropolitan Area of Lisbon in 2019–2020 with the aim of informing public policies towards equitable access to, and use of health services.MethodsThe CRIAS (Health Trajectories of Immigrant Children) prospective cohort study enrolled 420 children (51.6% immigrant) born in 2015 and attending primary health care (PHC) services in 2019. We compared primary health care facilities and hospital paediatric emergency department (ED) utilisation patterns in the public National Health Service, together with reported private practitioners use, between immigrant and non-immigrant children in 2019 and 2020. The Pearson chi-squared test, Fisher-Freeman-Halton Exact test, two-proportion z-test and Mann‒Whitney U test were used to examine the differences between the two groups.ResultsIn 2019, no significant differences in PHC consultations attendance between the two groups were observed. However, first-generation immigrant children (children residing in Portugal born in a non-European Union country) accessed fewer routine health assessments compared to non-immigrant children (63.4% vs. 79.2%). When children were acutely ill, 136 parents, of whom 55.9% were parents of non-immigrant children, reported not attending PHC as the first point of contact. Among those, nearly four times more non-immigrant children sought healthcare in the private sector than immigrant children (p < 0.001). Throughout 2019, immigrant children used ED more often than non-immigrant children (53.5% vs. 40.4%, p = 0.010), as their parents reported difficulties in accessing PHC. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, fewer immigrant children accessed PHC compared to non-immigrant children (70% vs. 80%, p = 0.018). Both non-immigrant and immigrant children reduced ED use by 2.5 times, with a higher decrease among immigrant children (46% vs. 34%). In both 2019 and 2020, over 80% of immigrant and non-immigrant children used ED for conditions classified as having low clinical priority.ConclusionBeyond identifying health care use inequalities between immigrant and non-immigrant children, the study points to urgent needs for public policy and economic investments to strengthen PHC for all children rather than for some.

Incidence of head and neck cancer among first-generation immigrants and their children in Finland

IntroductionLimited data exist regarding head and neck cancer (HNC) burden among immigrants who may have distinct characteristics, and hence different incidence rates from the general population. Variations in behavioral habits, cultural lifestyle, or diet may cause variations across different subgroups.MethodsThe whole immigrant population of Finnish residents born abroad, and their children were retrieved for the years 1970–2017. First-generation immigrants are defined as individuals born abroad, excluding their children (even if born abroad). The study comprised 0.5 million first-generation immigrants and 0.3 million children, contributing to 6 million and 5 million person-years of follow-up, respectively. Standardized incidence ratios (SIR) and excess absolute risk (EAR) per 100,000 person-years at risk were calculated to quantify the risk of HNC among immigrants relative to the general Finnish population.ResultsThe overall risk of any HNC was not increased among first-generation male immigrants (SIR 1.00, 95% CI: 0.88–1.15), but significantly elevated for cancer of the pharynx (SIR 1.56, 95% CI: 1.22–1.95), and larynx (SIR 1.38, 95% CI: 1.02–1.83) and decreased for lip (SIR 0.38, 95% CI: 0.20–0.67). The increased risk of pharyngeal cancer was highest among male immigrants from Asia Pacific (SIR 4.21, 95% CI: 2.02–7.75). First-generation immigrant women had a significantly reduced risk of any HNC (SIR 0.45, 95% CI: 0.37–0.55), which remained even after stratification by site. We observed no increased risk of any HNC among the children of first-generation immigrants.ConclusionHealthcare professionals need to recognize the groups at higher HNC risk. Efforts to address the main etiological risk factors, such as smoking, are needed among the selected immigrant populations, that haven’t yet reached similar decreasing trends, as in for example smoking, as the main population.NOVELTY AND IMPACTCurrently, globally, over 280 million people live outside their country of birth. Limited data exist regarding head and neck cancer (HNC) burden among immigrants who may have distinct characteristics and hence different incidence rates from the general population. Immigrant studies can provide novel data by shedding light on risk alterations and the pace of acculturation of different populations.

Immigrant child health in Canada: a scoping review

IntroductionUnderstanding the health of immigrant children from birth to 18 years of age is important given the significance of the early childhood years and complexity of factors that may influence...

Anorexia nervosa among first- and second-generation immigrant children and adolescents in Italy: treatment and clinical outcomes.

Cultural and environmental factors have frequently been implicated in the pathogenesis of Eating Disorders (ED). Although ED have been considered as "Western culture-bound syndromes", increasing rates of ED among non-Western groups are being documented. The present study aims to investigate treatment and clinical outcomes among first-generation immigrant children and adolescents (FGI) (patients born abroad) and second-generation immigrant youth (SGI, patients born in Italy) with Anorexia Nervosa (AN). The study retrospectively compares treatment, hospitalizations, traumatic past events, clinical features, and treatment outcome (improvement in percentual body-mass index - %BMI) between FGI and SGI young patients with AN (10-18 years). Correlations were adjusted for age and severity (%BMI) at presentation. Treatments and outcomes were investigated at the baseline (T0), 2 weeks (T1), one month (T2), 3 months (T3), 6 months (T4), and 12 months (T5). Thirty-six patients (50% FGI) were enrolled. At T1 (F(1.26)=6.335, p=0.018), and at T2 (F(1.30)=18.752, p<0.001) FGI presented a significantly higher %BMI improvement than SGI. FGI required significantly less (OR=0.379, p=0.017), and shorter (F(1.32)=5.827, p=0.022) hospitalizations, when compared with SGI. When compared to SGI, FGI with AN required fewer and shorter hospitalizations and had a better early-treatment weight outcome. Larger nationwide studies should investigate the need for and access to treatment of immigrant populations with AN.

Health of Immigrant Children: The Role of Immigrant Generation, Exogamous Family Setting, and Family Material and Social Resources.

Although the children of first-generation immigrants tend to have better health than the native population, the health advantage of the children of immigrant families deteriorates over generations. It is, however, poorly understood where on the generational health assimilation spectrum children with one immigrant and one native parent (i.e., exogamous families) lie, to what extent family resources explain health assimilation, and whether the process of assimilation varies across health conditions. We seek to extend our understanding of the process of health assimilation by analyzing the physical and mental health of immigrant generations, assessing the role of exogamous family arrangements, and testing the contributions of family material and social resources to children's outcomes. We use register-based longitudinal data on all children residing in Finland, born in 1986-2000, and alive in 2000; these data are free of reporting bias and loss to follow-up. We estimate the risk of receiving inpatient and outpatient care for somatic conditions, psychopathological disorders, and injuries by immigrant generation status. Our results show evidence of a negative health assimilation process, with both first- and second-generation immigrant children having a higher prevalence of physical problems and particularly mental health problems than native children that is only partially explained by family resources. We find that the children of exogamous families are at especially high risk of developing psychopathological disorders. These results provide strong support for the hypothesis that children of exogamous families constitute a specific health risk group and that the impact on children's health of family social and material resources seems to be secondary to other unobserved factors.

A Sociolinguistic Perspective on L1 Attrition in First-Generation Immigrant Children

This present review paper will be investigating the topic of first language (L1) attrition, primarily concentrating on how this process is realized in first-generation immigrant children, meaning children who either were born in a country different than the one their parents were born in or foreign-born children whose parents immigrated when that person was very young. This angle is particularly interesting as this L1 attrition is simultaneously co-occurring with second language (L2) acquisition and is connected to a multitude of sociolinguistic factors, the most important of which is the concept of sociolinguistic prestige as well as the concept of age-based speech communities and how the members of these communities influence one another's speech. The main goal is to gain more insight into how first language attrition research has taken into account such complex social matters as well as understanding the effects social/cognitive factors like these have on children who are being exposed to more than one language in their everyday life. To further the understanding of the social component of L1 attrition, this paper presents a comparison between two examples of language policy, in Romania and in the Netherlands, concerning multilingualism in society as well as in education.

Physical Activity Among Immigrant Children: A Systematic Review.

The health benefits of physical activity (PA) for children are well documented. However, little is known about PA patterns among immigrant children. The authors reviewed research on PA patterns of immigrant children. The inclusion criteria included peer-reviewed articles published from January 2010 to May 2018 in English, French, or Spanish that included primary-school-aged (6-12y) children, and data on immigration status. A total of 11 articles were included in the analyses. These studies revealed a deficit of PA among immigrant children. Immigration status (immigrant or nonimmigrant) and generation of immigration (first, second, and third), ethnic origin, and gender were associated with PA patterns. In general, PA levels were lower among first-generation immigrant children, children of Hispanic and East Asian origin, and girls. The results suggest that questionnaire measures might be biased or inaccurate among immigrant children, highlighting the need for the integration of mixed methods (objective and subjective measures). A large proportion of children do not meet PA guidelines, and this might be more problematic for immigrant children. Future studies incorporating time since immigration, comparative analyses on gender, sociocultural and socioeconomic characteristics, and mixed methodology could provide a more complete portrait of PA patterns and opportunities for immigrant children.

Children's immigrant generational status and delinquency: The mediating effects of friendship networks

A mounting body of empirical studies demonstrates that first-generation immigrant children have a lower level of delinquency and crime but second and third-plus generations report a precipitous increase in these behaviors. Adopting a social network approach, we analyzed the behavioral and structural characteristics of children’s friendship networks across the first, second, and third-plus immigrant generations, and investigated the mediating role of these friendship traits in explaining generational disparity. Our results reveal that children’s friendship networks differ in structural (e.g., popularity) and behavioral features (e.g., network deviance) across immigrant generations. These friendship features, particularly network peer deviance, the percentage of second-generation friends, and children’s popularity mediate the association between immigrant generational status and children’s delinquency. Extending previous research, our study highlights the importance of applying the social network approach to understand delinquency disparity across immigrant generations and suggests that the composition of friendship networks play an important role in immigrant children’s delinquency involvement.

The cultural identity of first-generation immigrant children and youth: Insights from a meta-analysis

ABSTRACT In a globalized world with high rates of migration, identification with one’s culture of origin and one’s new cultural environment is a key and sometimes conflicted issue. Focusing on the growing population of first-generation immigrant children and youth, this study reviewed previous literature, using meta-analysis to investigate core factors affecting identity development. A search of databases yielded 3,636 English-language articles published between 1987 and 2017, of which only 24 met all eligibility criteria and were analyzed in depth. Random-effects analysis revealed that young first-generation immigrants identified moderately with their culture of origin and that their identification with the residence country was, by comparison, weaker. Identity was found to be moderated by core demographic and migration-related factors. The implications of the findings and methodological challenges in the field are discussed.

The early academic resilience of children from low-income, immigrant families

Data from the Miami School Readiness Project were analyzed to examine the early academic achievement of 1638 low-income Black and Latinx children from immigrant and non-immigrant families. Ecologically valid school outcomes from Kindergarten to 4th grade included classroom grades, grade retention, attendance, and standardized math and reading scores. Multivariate and logistic regression analyses conducted in Mplus examined differences by immigrant status (immigrant family vs. not) and generation (1st vs. 2nd) after accounting for child and family background characteristics. Immigrant advantage and paradox was evident in children’s early school outcomes. Children in immigrant families showed better attendance, received higher grades, and scored higher on standardized assessments of reading and math when compared with peers in non-immigrant families. First-generation immigrant children, in particular, outperformed second-generation and non-immigrant children on most measures. Immigrant status effects were similar for Black and Latinx children with the exception of attendance, where the immigrant advantage was larger among Black than Latinx students. Findings suggest early academic resilience and advantage among this important and growing population of children in immigrant families, as well as a need for more investigation into solutions to cultural and societal factors that contribute to generational decline.

Maternal immigrant status and signs of neurodevelopmental problems in early childhood: The French representative ELFE birth cohort.

A growing body of evidence suggests that children of immigrants may have increased risks of neurodevelopmental disorders. However, evidence based on parent report and on very young children is lacking. We therefore investigated the association between maternal immigrant status and early signs of neurodevelopmental problems in a population-based sample of 2-year-old children using standardized parent-report instruments. We used data from the French representative Étude Longitudinale Française depuis l'Enfance birth cohort, initiated in 2011. The study sample included 9,900 children of nonimmigrant French, 1,403 children of second, and 1,171 children of first generation immigrant women followed-up to age 2 years. Neurodevelopment was assessed using the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) and an adaptation of the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories (MB-CDI). In fully adjusted linear regression models, maternal immigrant status was associated with M-CHAT scores, with stronger associations in children of first (β-coefficient: 0.19; 95% CI 0.08-0.29) than second generation immigrants (0.09; 0.01-0.17). This association was especially strong among children of first generation immigrant mothers native of North Africa (vs. nonimmigrant French: 0.33; 0.16-0.49) and French-speaking Sub-Saharan Africa (0.26; 0.07-0.45). MB-CDI scores were lowest among children of first generation immigrant mothers, particularly from mostly non-francophone regions. Children of first generation immigrant mothers were most likely to have simultaneously low MB-CDI and high M-CHAT scores. Our findings suggest that maternal immigrant status is associated with early signs of neurodevelopmental difficulties, with strong variations according to maternal region of origin. Further research is necessary to test whether these associations persist and to determine the underlying mechanisms. Autism Res 2019, 12: 1845-1859. © 2019 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: We asked immigrant and nonimmigrant mothers in France about early signs of neurodevelopmental problems in their 2-year-old children. Overall, we found that children of immigrants may be at higher risk of showing these early warning signs, as compared to children of nonimmigrants. This is in line with previous studies, which were based on doctors' diagnoses at later ages. However, our results differed depending on the mothers' regions of origin. We found the highest risks in children of first generation immigrants from North and French-speaking Sub-Saharan Africa, who also seemed especially at risk of neurodevelopmental problems combined with low language development.

The African second generation in the United States – identity and transnationalism: an introduction

ABSTRACTThe New African Diaspora’s second generation in the United States is large and growing, yet it is one of the least studied immigrant groups. The purpose of this special issue is to bring together recent work by immigration researchers on the identity negotiations and transnational engagements of the children of first-generation African immigrants. Second generation Africans, who create hybrid identities at the intersection of their ethnic/national origins and the racial categories of U.S. society, often contest (and sometimes embrace), being boxed into embracing a Black identity that is the product of specific African American histories, values, and experiences not shared by recent African immigrants. Contributors examine these issues, as well as the occurrence, distinctive nature of, and motivations for second-generation economic and cultural participation in transnational activities. The collection by key immigration scholars represents a groundbreaking contribution to the nascent discussion of the New African Diaspora’s second generation.

Primary healthcare usage and use of medications among immigrant children according to age of arrival to Norway: a population-based study

BackgroundMorbidity, use of healthcare and medication use have been reported to vary across groups of migrants and according to the different phases of migration, but little is known about children...

Delayed, deferred and dropped out: geographies of Filipino-Canadian high school students

Models representing the assimilation of post-Second World War immigrants to North America use the academic achievement of children of first-generation immigrants as a benchmark of social mobility. Filipino youths in Canada fall short of this benchmark – they neither meet nor exceed their parents’ academic achievements. While concern with outcomes is a useful starting point, I suggest that there is a need to interrogate how and where students are produced as different. To do this, I attend to the geographies in the narratives of youths gathered from Filipino high school students in Vancouver (unceded Coast Salish Territories). I examine how they negotiate the spaces of transnational migration, their lives as students and spaces where their educational trajectories are deferred and delayed. I argue that the geographies of transnational migration and family should be held together with spaces of the school and education when considering academic outcomes.

Can Community and School-Based Supports Improve the Achievement of First-Generation Immigrant Children Attending High-Poverty Schools?

Using a quasi-experimental design, the effects of a student support intervention were estimated for the math and reading achievement of first-generation immigrant children (n=667, M=11.05years of age) attending high-poverty, urban elementary schools. The intervention was designed to help schools identify developmental strengths and barriers to learning and, in turn, connect children to community and school supports aligned with their strengths and needs. By exploiting within-school changes in the implementation of the intervention, the present study revealed statistically and practically significant treatment effects indicating improvements in math and reading achievement at the end of elementary school. In addition, the intervention appears to considerably narrow achievement gaps between English language learners and immigrant children proficient in English.

Where Do Immigrant Children Come From and Why?

The early 21st century continues the trend from the later 20th century: the first-generation immigrant children who move to Slovenia most often come from the states established after the disintegration of former Yugoslavia – from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, as well as from Serbia, Croatia and Montenegro. There are few arrivals from other states and continents, such as Bulgaria, Ukraine, or the United States of America. This article presents certain experiences that vary for each immigrant family, although they may hail from the same country. We quote some of the reasons for immigration as represented by the migrant children and parents themselves, comparing them to the findings of migrant theories. In 2011, semi-structured interviews with immigrant children were conducted in three Slovenian primary schools, and it was ascertained that most of them had come to Slovenia for the sake of family reunion.

HLA associated type 1 diabetes risk in children of Pakistani migrants to Norway

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) results from poorly defined interaction between susceptibility genes and environmental factors. The objective was to investigate Human Leukocyte Antigens (HLA) associated T1D risk among Pakistani newborns in Norway based on what published globally. DNA samples from 189 newborns, whose parents were first generation migrants from Pakistan, were analyzed. The hypothesis was tested using high resolution HLA genotyping for the -DRB1 and -DQB1 loci and high/intermediate for the -DQA1 locus. We identified 28 different DRB1, 13 DQB1 and 9 DQA1 alleles. Of the 39 different haplotypes identified, only five have been reported to confer T1D susceptibility. Among these the DR3-DQ2 (DRB1*03:01:01-DQA1*05-DQB1*02:01:01) haplotype was found in 18.5% (n=70) of the newborns, and 18.6% (n=13) of these were homozygotes. A diverse range of HLA haplotypes were identified amongst an ethnically homogenous group of newborns, with only a small proportion associated with T1D risk. The incidence of T1D among immigrants form South/East Asia is the lowest in the Norwegian Type 1 Diabetes Registry. The few included so far, are children of first generation immigrants. If incidence of T1D rises in the Norwegian Pakistani childhood population, as observed in the UK, then environmental triggers rather than genetic susceptibility will be the explanation.

Examining the relationship between immigrant status and after-school care usage of young children in the US

Using the 2005 National Household Education Survey, this study examines the relationship between parental nativity and the after-school care use patterns of U.S. children. Results indicate that child-care usage patterns vary across households by parental nativity as well as by immigrant generational status. That is, immigrants are less likely to use nonparental care than natives. Among immigrants who use nonparental care, first-generation immigrant children were more likely to be placed in nonrelative care or activities, while second-generation immigrant children were more likely to be cared for by relatives. In terms of the time use pattern of youths in such nonparental care settings, second-generation immigrants were less likely to play sports and more likely to watch television or listen to music than natives. Lastly, the study found significant moderation effects of maternal employment status on the association between parental nativity and the type of child care used.

The Rediscovery of Heritage and Community Language Education in the United States

Language and cultural preservation efforts among different communities of language speakers in the United States have received increasing attention as interest in linguistic rights and globalization continues to deepen. In addition to mounting evidence of the cognitive, psychological, and academic benefits of heritage language/ community language (HL/CL) maintenance for linguistic-minority children (see Lee & Suarez, 2009, for a summary of the research), scholars have advocated for the recognition, support, and utilization of the potentially rich pool of HLs/CLs as a resource for filling linguistic and cultural voids in professional and political sectors of our society (Brecht & Ingold, 1998; Peyton, Ranard, & McGinnis, 2001; Wiley, 2005b, 2007). Yet the maintenance of HLs/CLs even among children of first-generation immigrants has been difficult, and it has been nearly unattainable beyond the third generation (Fishman, 2001; Rumbaut, 2009; Veltman, 1983). Counter to popular beliefs that HLs/CLs can be easily maintained in the home if parents speak to their children in the HL/CL, studies have shown that home language use alone is an insufficient condition for producing highly proficient users of the language, particularly those who can function in professional domains. Some form of explicit instruction is needed (Fillmore, 1991, 2000; Lao & Lee, 2009; Lee, 2002; Wright, 2004). Throughout U.S. history, the most significant efforts for HL/CL instruction outside the home have occurred in community-based HL/CL schools (Fishman, 2001;