Immigrant Children Research Articles

Relations between self-regulation and behavioral adjustment in Chinese American immigrant children during early elementary school years.

The present study examined associations between sociocultural factors and self-regulation (parent-report, teacher-report, laboratory tasks), and prospective relations between self-regulation and behavioral adjustment (parent-, teacher-, child-report) in a socioeconomically diverse sample of Chinese American children in immigrant families (N = 258, Wave 1 age = 6-9 years, Wave 2 age = 9-11 years, 52% boys, 57% low-income) in a longitudinal study (2007-2011) during early elementary school years. Family income uniquely related to a self-regulation latent factor ( = .22), and parent-child Chinese orientation gaps were associated with parent-reported effortful control ( = .40). Self-regulation at W1 negatively predicted parent- and teacher-reported behavioral maladjustment ( = -.22 and -.48) at W2, controlling for cross-time stability of both constructs and covariates (child sex, parental education).

Immigrants' Experiences and Perceptions of COVID-19 Information in Norway.

When the COVID-19 virus hit the world, immigrants were overrepresented among those infected. In Norway, throughout the pandemic, there were far higher infection rates in people of Somali and Pakistani descent than in the rest of the population. The first aim of this study is to explore the experiences and perceptions of immigrants from Somalia and Pakistan living in Oslo regarding the different sources of COVID-19 information that they referred to at the beginning of the pandemic. The second aim is to suggest and discuss measures to improve practice in the event of a new pandemic. Four semi-structured focus-group interviews were conducted with a total of 27 first-generation immigrants from Somalia and Pakistan. The results showed that the immigrants found various COVID-19 information sources to be important. These sources are further presented in three categories: (1) COVID-19 information from the authorities through mass communication; (2) family, friends, and local environments as sources of information; (3) information from religious communities and volunteer resource personnel. We conclude that the participants were active users of available information from different sources and channels. Stigmatization made a negative contribution and religion made a positive contribution to coping and to trust in the authorities.

Anaphora resolution and age effects in Greek-Spanish bilingualism: Evidence from first-generation immigrants, heritage speakers, and L2 speakers

The present study compares anaphora resolution (AR) data from Greek and Spanish monolinguals and Greek-Spanish bilinguals who live in Chile to identify differences in resolving third-person null subjects (NSs) and overt pronominal subjects (OSPs) in ambiguous non-focused linguistic contexts. Overextension of the scope of OSPs in contexts where NSs are discursively expected has been consistently observed in different language contact situations, including pairs of null subject languages. According to the Interface Hypothesis, this is a compensatory strategy that occurs on account of bilingualism itself (inefficiency in syntax-pragmatic mappings). The study evaluates the Interface Hypothesis, focusing on the understudied combination of Greek and Spanish, by comparing three types of bilinguals: first-generation immigrants, heritage speakers, and L2 speakers, together with monolingual baseline groups. In addition, the study examines the age effects on speakers’ performance. Five groups of speakers (N = 115; age range 16–87; mean: 50.13, SD = 19.33) performed a self-paced auditory AR task. No overextension of the scope of OSPs was found in any of the bilingual groups, against the predictions stemming from the Interface Hypothesis. Significant age effects were found in the interpretation of NSs by both monolingual and bilingual speakers of Greek.

Cherishing Immigrant Parents' Aspiration to Support Multilingual Children's Literacy Development Across Languages

AbstractAs children of immigrants are increasing in number across the U.S. classrooms, schools need to develop strategies to engage with immigrant families. Structural and attitudinal issues in the school system create challenges in communicating with immigrant parents. Immigrant parents have high expectations for their children's academic achievement because they view education can bring mobility and stability to their children's future. Immigrant parents also desire that their children continue developing their home language for familial communication and transnational engagement. To enhance the home‐school connections and to promote family engagement, teachers can first diligently communicate with parents. They can also learn about immigrant families' meaning‐making activities at home and in communities. Teachers can also advocate for children of immigrants' home language development.

Teacher Use of Digital Stories to Promote Reflective Practice Supportive of Migrant and Refugee Children’s Sense of Belonging

AbstractCreative and innovative reflective methods are important to prompt and sustain alternative and novel ways for teachers to consider their professional identity and practice. Digital storytelling is one such method that enables the sharing of valued events including narratives of lived experience. This paper reports on a case study investigating teacher use of digital storytelling to promote reflection and pedagogical awareness in support of immigrant and refugee children’s developing sense of belonging. The case study is part of a larger funded project aimed at strengthening the identity and belonging of refugee and immigrant children in early childhood education. In the case study, four early childhood education teachers in an education and care centre planned and created their digital narratives, reflected on the process, and considered the opportunities and implications for integrating digital storytelling in their practice. A range of qualitative data were collected through observations (notes, photographs, video recordings), focus group interview, and teacher created artifacts. Thematic analysis identified that teachers valued their experiences with creating their own digital stories in identifying and affirming their values and identities as teacher practitioners, and in thinking more deeply about coming to belong. They recognised the transformative potential of digital storytelling in promoting understandings of belonging, facilitating reflective practice and identifying relevant belonging-based pedagogical strategies. They recommended other staff and parents could undertake a similar process, predicting that this would enable even stronger reciprocal connections between staff, parents and children to facilitate greater understanding of children’s cultural backgrounds and home experiences as a basis for establishing more targeted belonging-based pedagogies.

The paradoxical role of social class background in the educational and labour market outcomes of the children of immigrants in the UK.

Despite predominantly lower social class origins, the second generation of established immigrant groups in the UK are now attaining high levels of education. However, they continue to experience poorer labour market outcomes than the majority population. These worse outcomes are often attributed in part to their disadvantaged origins, which do not, by contrast, appear to constrain their educational success. This paper engages with this paradox. We discuss potential mechanisms for second-generation educational success and how far we might expect these to be replicated in labour market outcomes. We substantiate our discussion with new empirical analysis. Drawing on a unique longitudinal study of England and Wales spanning 40years and encompassing one per cent of the population, we present evidence on the educational and labour market outcomes of the second generation of four groups of immigrants and the white British majority, controlling for multiple measures of social origins. We demonstrate that second-generation men and women's educational advantage is only partially reflected in the labour market. We reflect on the implications of our findings for future research.

Misuse of Pregabalin: a qualitative study from a patient’s perspective

IntroductionThe misuse of Pregabalin has been the subject of growing concern for several years. The effects sought are multiple and it is rarely taken as a single drug. It is most frequently used together with opioids, which may increase the risk of fatal overdose. In response to this emerging phenomenon, we seek to better understand the situation of misuse in Belgium and identify the people involved in it.MethodologyA qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with 20 participants who misuse Pregabalin was conducted throughout the French-speaking region of Belgium between August 2021 and January 2022. Recruitment mostly took place in addictions centers, shelters for migrants and homeless persons and primary care centers. We then conducted a thematic analysis with the help of Nvivo software.ResultsA profile emerged, of young male users, immigrants, mainly first generation immigrants coming from North Africa. They had in common a challenging or even traumatic migration pathway and precarious living conditions in Belgian territory. Most of them had no stable income. They saw Pregabalin as enabling them to cope with their daily situation. All had psychiatric and/or somatic comorbidities for which they had apparently not recieved adequate medical care. This seemed to lead many of them to use Pregabalin as self-medication, for anxiety-depressive disorders and chronic pain, and it was sometimes initiated in their home country. Pregabalin was never used alone.ConclusionThis study has highlighted a rare and insufficient documented profile of Pregabalin misuse: self-medication among a group of first generation immigrants, most of whom have no previous history of opioid-related disorders. Measures should be taken to improve access to health and social care for this population, considering all their biopsychosocial vulnerabilities.

Union formation of the children of immigrants: Does the ethnic composition of the childhood neighbourhood matter?

AbstractThis paper examines whether first union formation behaviour of children of immigrants varies according to the ethnic composition of the neighbourhood in which they grew up. Growing up surrounded by large shares of majority‐group members may influence union formation behaviour of children of immigrants in later life. However, the local residential contexts during childhood have been overlooked in previous studies. Using full‐population data from Dutch registers, we estimate multinomial event‐history models to examine the timing and type of first union (direct marriage or unmarried cohabitation) as a function of the proportion of majority‐group residents in the neighbourhood at age 15. We focus on Turkish, Moroccan, and Surinamese second‐generation individuals born in the Netherlands between 1986 and 1990, follow their union formation into young adulthood and compare it to that of their Dutch peers. We find limited support for the influence of the childhood neighbourhood's ethnic composition on union formation; moreover, this influence seems to vary across origin groups.

Reduced health care utilization among young children of immigrants after Donald Trump's election and proposed public charge rule.

Widespread fear among immigrants from hostile 2016 presidential campaign rhetoric decreased social and health care service enrollment (chilling effect). Health care utilization effects among immigrant families with young children are unknown. We examined whether former President Trump's election had chilling effects on well-child visit (WCV) schedule adherence, hospitalizations, and emergency department (ED) visits among children of immigrant vs US-born mothers in 3 US cities. Cross-sectional surveys of children <4 years receiving care in hospitals were linked to 2015-2018 electronic health records. We applied difference-in-difference analysis with a 12-month pre/post-election study period. Trump's election was associated with a 5-percentage-point decrease (-0.05; 95% CI: -0.08, -0.02) in WCV adherence for children of immigrant vs US-born mothers with no difference in hospitalizations or ED visits. Secondary analyses extending the treatment period to a leaked draft of proposed changes to public charge rules also showed significantly decreased WCV adherence among children of immigrant vs US-born mothers. Findings indicate likely missed opportunities for American Academy of Pediatrics-recommended early childhood vaccinations, health and developmental screenings, and family support. Policies and rhetoric promoting immigrant inclusion create a more just and equitable society for all US children.

Migrant status disparities in blood pressure: a multiple mediation analysis of modifiable factors

BackgroundWe examined differences in blood pressure (BP) levels between first-generation immigrants and natives in adult residents in Northeast Italy, and investigated the role of lifestyle behaviors, body mass index (BMI), and education as potentially modifiable mediating factors.MethodsWe included 20–69-year-old participants from the Health Surveillance Program of the Veneto Region (n = 37,710). Immigrants born in a high migratory pressure country (HMPC) were further grouped into geographical macro-areas. The outcomes were systolic BP (SBP) and hypertension. Multiple mediation analyses were performed to determine the contribution of each mediator of the SBP/migrant status association.ResultsOf the 37,380 subjects included, 8.7% were born in an HMPC. BMI, education, alcohol, sweets and meat consumption were included as potential mediators. A small advantage in SBP was seen for immigrants compared to natives (β = – 0.71,95%CI – 1.30; – 0.10). The direct effect (net of the covariates) of immigrant status on SBP was a reduction of 1.62 mmHg (95%CI – 2.25; – 0.98). BMI played the highest suppressive role (β = 1.14,95%CI 0.99; 1.35), followed by education. Alcohol consumption amplified the health advantage of immigrants. The suppressing effect of BMI was particularly evident among women and North Africans compared to natives. Similar results were seen for hypertension rates.ConclusionsAlthough causation cannot be proven given the cross-sectional design, our findings identify BMI as the most effective target to preserve the health advantage of immigrants with respect to BP levels.

How loneliness influences the city identity of Chinese migrant children: A moderated mediation model

This study explored the mediating role of resilience and the moderating role of social class on the relationship between loneliness and migrant children’s city identity. The participants were 479 Chinese migrant children (females = 52%, mean age = 10.07 years, SD = 0.43 years) from Jiangsu Province. They completed a series of questionnaires, including the Children’s Loneliness Scale, the Resilience Scale, the Migrant Children’s City Identity Questionnaire and the Socioeconomic Status Index. Results from the moderated mediation analysis showed that Chinese migrant children self-reporting higher loneliness had a lower city identity. Resilience mediates the relationship between loneliness and city identity. Social class negatively moderates the influence of resilience on city identity. Compared to those with higher social class, migrant children with lower social class were more resilient in constructing their city identity. These findings might be helpful to social welfare programmes to support immigrant children in their city identity for better integration and adaptation.

Memory and National Identity Among Afghan Refugees in Peshawar

Drawing on the literature on nationalism and national attachment, as well as memory studies, we analyze the extent to which Afghan refugees in Peshawar continue to identify strongly with their homeland, or with Pakistan. Based on survey research and in-depth interviews, we find that second generation immigrants have a stronger Pakistani and weaker Afghan identification compared to those who grew up in Afghanistan. This relationship is mediated by a number of factors, including religion. Native Pashto speakers generally have a stronger sense of Pakistani identity compared to non-Pashto speakers, and Urdu fluency also has an impact on their national identity. Interestingly, those who gained their education through a religious seminary, or madrasa, identify more strongly with Pakistan compared to those who studied in the public school system. Furthermore, self-reported regularity in daily prayers and Quranic recitation is also associated with a stronger sense of Pakistani identity.

Tobacco Use Patterns From Adolescence to Young Adulthood Among Latinx Youth From Rural Communities

PurposeTo examine patterns in adolescent and young adult tobacco use, comparing Latinx foreign-born children and children of foreign-born parents (i.e., children of immigrants(COI)) to Latinx US-born children of US-born parents (i.e., children of nonimmigrants,(CONI)) and to CONI White youth who grew up in small and rural towns. MethodsData were from youth who lived in control communities that participated in a community-randomized trial of the Communities That Care prevention system. We compared Latinx CONI (n = 154) with Latinx COI (n = 316) and with non-Latinx White CONI (n = 918). We examined tobacco use in adolescence (any adolescent use, early onset, and chronic use) and young adulthood (any past-year tobacco use, any daily smoking, any nicotine dependence symptoms) with mixed-effects logistic regressions. ResultsIn adolescence, Latinx CONI had a higher prevalence of any and chronic tobacco use relative to Latinx COI, and of any and early onset tobacco use relative to non-Latinx White CONI. In young adulthood, Latinx CONI were more likely to report tobacco use in the past year, any symptoms of nicotine dependence, and daily smoking relative to Latinx COI; and more likely to report daily smoking relative to non-Latinx White CONI. Generation differences in young adult tobacco use were explained by chronic tobacco use in adolescence. DiscussionThe study suggests targeting chronic tobacco use in adolescence to prevent disparities in tobacco outcomes among Latinx young adults from rural communities.

Unstructured play activities, dance lessons, and yoga-meditation classes: What makes immigrant South Asian US-dwelling children happier?

Unstructured play activities, dance lessons, and yoga-meditation classes: What makes immigrant South Asian US-dwelling children happier?

1970년대 서독 이주아동 교육문제와 교원단체(GEW)

After World War II, West Germany recovered rapidly and entered an era of economic prosperity. In the late 1950s, the federal state faced labor shortages in various industrial sectors and accepted a large foreign workforce into the country. Many foreign workers came to West Germany with their families, and soon formed a large-scale migrant society. Along with that, the issue of education for immigrant children emerged. The West German government prepared policies early to integrate them into German society, but they did not have successful results. Because of the realistic conditions, the policy was not well received in the educational field. In addition, due to the fundamental limitations of the plan itself, many immigrant children often failed to adapt to school life and often dropped out in the middle of the school year. GEW, a major teacher’s organization in Germany, began to show interest in the problems of immigrant children in the early 1970s. However, in the beginning, GEW maintained its general position. However, in the late 1970s, serious internal discussions on the education for the immigrant children began, and specific policies were presented. This study examines GEW’s position on the education policy for immigrant children in the 1970s, focusing on the North Rhine-Westphalia, and deals with its changes.

MS-13의 ‘악마화’와 트럼프 시기 반이민 담론

MS-13 is a violent organization that emerged in California in the 1980s and was formed around immigrant children and refugees from El Salvador. The organization's main activity spaces are in Central American countries and the United States, but they also appear in several European countries, such as Spain and Italy. It is estimated that there are currently more than 30,000 members. MS-13 has emerged as a social concern in the United States as former President Trump attacked it as a symbol of anti-immigration policy. Trump used the violence of the MS-13 in a provocative way to set up anti-immigration policies and border barriers he was pushing for.&#x0D; Trump attacked the organization as a threat to national security, not just emphasizing the violence of the MS-13 to justify its anti-immigration policy. In search of new opportunities, migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border were denounced as violent illegal immigrant groups related to transnational criminal organizations. With Trump emphasizing the violence of MS-13 to achieve his political goals and labeling it a detriment to national security, MS-13 has emerged as the main focus of American society.&#x0D; Such attacks on MS-13 can be criticized for hiding excessive prejudice and political intentions. In other words, MS-13 was strategically selected to brand it as a transnational criminal organization that threatens American society and stimulate anti-immigration sentiment. In this article, we would like to broaden our understanding of MS-13 through the context in which MS-13 emerged as a representative gang organization. To this end, I would like to critically examine the background of the emergence of MS-13 and the evaluation that MS-13 is a transnational criminal organization. Since then, we will look at the context in which MS-13 has emerged as a social concern in relation to Trump's anti-immigration narrative.

외국인 아동의 L2 한국어 및 L3 영어 학습 동기 비교 연구

This comparative study investigates the motivation underlying second language (L2) Korean and third language (L3) English learning among immigrant children from multicultural families in South Korea. Utilizing a questionnaire developed by Jeon and Kim (2015), 56 participants provided their status of motivational constructs, including ideal L2/L3 self, ought-to L2/L3 self, instrumental motivation, motivated behavior, attitudes towards target languages, and integrative orientation. The results revealed divergent motivational patterns for L2 and L3 learning, influenced by factors such as gender, grade, and linguistic proximity. Further, integrative orientation surfaced as a crucial predictor for children’s intended learning efforts in both L2 and L3. Interviews with teachers who taught the participants L2 Korean and L3 English also supported the quantitative results. In accordance with previous studies, these findings underscored the dynamic nature of foreign language learners’ motivation. Taken together, this study suggests recognizing the distinct attributes of each motivational system and devising pertinent motivational strategies for L2 and L3 teaching.

Differential Object Marking and Diachronic Incrementation in Child Heritage Romanian

In contemporary Romanian, differential object marking is undergoing a change from a system allowing two marking patterns in optional contexts to a system which preserves only one of these patterns. In the present study we verify if child heritage speakers opt for the novel system at a level beyond the one in the input. The data come from 34 narratives by 7- and 10-year-old heritage speakers of Romanian living in France, compared to 34 narratives by monolingual children living in the homeland, 11 adult first generation immigrants from France and 10 Romanian adults from Romania. The findings suggest that language change is not advanced in a heritage language acquisition scenario when the change is found in the weaker language and targets a phenomenon at the syntax-discourse interface.

Visualization of Seeking Identity on Transnational Children In “Be Prepared” Graphic Novel

Be Prepared is a graphic novel about Vera, the daughter of immigrants from Russia. In her storyline, Vera faces many cultural challenges when dealing with American and other Russian immigrant children. Vera attempts to find identity amidst the differences between the original culture of Russia and the American culture as the country she lived in. The situation between 2 cultures is a challenge for transnational children. This study aims to analyze and see the meaning represented in the graphic novel, especially how transnational children obtain identity and adapt to their environment. The research method used in this research is semiotics and literature review. The semiotic method is used to see the relationship between signs to get the meaning. The semiotic theories used in this research are based on Roland Barthes’s theories. Another method is the literature review which is conducted by overviewing the signs through several published literature to expand the meanings. The base theory used in the literature review is a cultural study that consists of ideas about acculturation, immigration, and cross-cultural theories. From this research, it can be seen that in the comparison of situations of 2 birthday parties, there are expectations in acculturation. The worship scene in the Russian Orthodox church represents immigrant families' coping mechanism for acculturation stress. The signs seen in the graphic novel are also seen in the acculturation stage of Vera's character to gain identity, which can be divided into three stages, namely, the stage of seeking recognition, the stage of imitating, and the stage of integration.&#x0D; Keywords: transnationalism; immigrant; acculturation; graphic novel; sequential arts.&#x0D;

Enhanced Measurement of Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Marketing to Young Immigrant Children in Grocery Store Environments.

The marketing of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSBs) within grocers is an obesogenic factor that negatively impacts children's nutritional behavior, specifically for people from racial and ethnic minority groups, such as immigrants. We aimed to develop and employ a methodology that more precisely assesses the availability, price, and promotion of SSBs to young immigrant children within independently owned grocery stores. A case comparison design was used to explore the differences in the grocery store landscape of SSB marketing by conducting an enhanced Nutrition Environment Measures Survey-SSB (NEMS-SSB) within 30 grocery stores in the Hispanic and Latino enclaves in Southwest Detroit, in the Arab and Chaldean enclaves in North-central Detroit, and in Warren, Hamtramck, and Dearborn, in comparison with 48 grocers in Metro Detroit. Unsweetened, plant-based, and organic toddler and infant beverages, as well as questions about marketing, were added to the original NEMS to capture the promotion tactics used in marketing SSBs. NEMS-SSB scores revealed that, in the immigrant enclaves, there was a significantly higher availability of SSBs in grocery stores (-2.38), and they had lower prices than those in the comparison group (-0.052). Unsweetened, plant-based, and organic beverages were unavailable in 97% of all participating grocery stores across both groups. Signage featuring cartoon characters was the most frequent in-store SSB marketing tactic across both groups. Widespread SSB marketing toward toddlers within the grocery stores in immigrant enclaves could be linked with the higher early childhood obesity prevalence among the immigrant population. Our findings can assist local and national organizations in developing and implementing healthy eating interventions. This study must be repeated in other immigrant enclaves across states to provide comparable results.