Transcript Adolescent physical development

Growing up in the Transnational
Family: Youth Adjusting to Late
Immigration & Family
Reunification
Naomi A. Schapiro, RN, PhD (c), CPNP
Associate Clinical Professor
PhD Candidate
UCSF School of Nursing
5/13/10
Significance of Issue

Over 191 million immigrants & refugees
worldwide - 50% women

In US, 4% of children are immigrants, up to
10% in California

Over 1 million California children are foreignborn, most from Mexico
Late Immigrants

Often called the 1.5 Generation:
 Definitions
vary
 Arrive
before age 18?
 Arrive after age 6 and before 12?
 Characteristics
of this population not well
defined
 Immigration
research does not always
distinguish 1 vs. 1.5 or 1.5 vs. 2
 Confounded by migration back and forth
Characteristics of 1.5 Generation

Up to 80% of children who migrate to
the US after age 9 have been
separated from at least one parent
(Suárez-Orozco et al., 2002, 2008)

Children migrating in late childhood
are rejoining parents who may be
strangers
Transnational families
Families with economic and
affectional ties that cross
national borders
Adults working in US support
businesses, farms, & family
education in home country
As likely to be women as
men - increased service
sector jobs
http://www.resourcefulcommunities.org/sites/reso
urcefulcommunities.org/files/u31/Tortilleria_psd.jp
g
Transnational Families

Traditional migration: Father
comes first or family
migrates together

21st century migration:
Women (mothers) as likely
to come first, may stay
longer
Declining industrial, construction jobs in US
Increased need for service/care providers

Transnational families
Why?
Changing economies in home countries
Disappearance of middle-class incomes &
government-sponsored health care/education (e.g.
Philippines)
Disappearance of family wage (everywhere)
Remittances from N to S an increasing part of economies of
Mexico, Central America
Migrants from El Salvador to US can send home 6 times what
they could earn if they stayed home
Transnational families
Children spend early
years in home country:
extended family
caretakers
separated from
parents - may be
unavoidable or
deliberate
safer
community,
more adult
supervision,
cultural support
http://k53.pbase.com/g6/82/643382/2/71366040.RhC937Xf.jpg
Immigrate in late
childhood: able to make
trip, less need for
supervision, parent has
improved circumstances
in host country
Family reunification

Separated parents:

Reunifying children

Send home gifts,
monetary support
Visits limited by economic
& legal barriers
Variable ability to call,
send videos
Variable support by home
country caretakers

May miss caretakers
Resentful about long
separation
Unrealistic expectations of
parents’ wealth
Less supervision
Encounters with racism,
anti-immigrant hostility
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Impact on Immigrant Youth

Latino youth report highest levels of drug,
alcohol use & depression on NYRBSS



National self-report survey of youth in high school
Conducted every two years by CDC
Does not track immigration status or generation
Eaton, D. K., Kann, L., Kinchen, S., Shanklin, S., Ross, J.,
Hawkins, J., et al. (2008). Youth risk behavior surveillance-United States, 2007. MMWR Surveill Summ, 57(4), 1-131.
Impact

Risks of alcohol, drug use, sexual
activity & suicide are LOWER for
immigrants, than for 2d or 3d generation
Latino youth
 National
Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent
Health (ADD-Health)
 (Peña et al., 2008)
Immigrant Generation & Risk

All risks EXCEPT depressive symptoms
increase with each generation in US
 However, LATE immigrant girls may have
some increased risk of depression
(Peña et al., 2008)
Educational Impact

Immigrants have
higher HS dropout
rates than children of
immigrants
 16/100 drop-outs of
US-born children of
immigrants
 24.5/100 for
immigrant children

Latino youth are 41%
of HS dropouts, 17%
of population
http://www.childtrendsdatabank.org/pdf/1_
PDF.pdf
New immigrants and school
Harvard LISA Study (1997-2002) Boston & SF
5 immigrant groups
China, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Haiti,
Central America
Children Enter US > 9 yrs
Almost all youths’ academic performance
declined over time (least Chinese)different trajectories
(Suárez-Orozco et al., 2008, 2002)
New Immigrants and School

Harvard LISA Study (1997-2002) Boston & SF
 boys
had higher rates of failure, girls more
connected to mentors
 Boys and girls tested equally well
 Success predicted by:
 parental education
 behavioral engagement with school
 overall school rates of achievement
Educational Issues for Late
Immigrants
It takes 7-8 years to be educationally
competent in a new language
 Children who migrate after 10

 May
always speak with an accent
 Actually may do BETTER in school if they
have had more formal education in their
home country than younger immigrants
 Educational support from parents or other
mentors is key
Migration & Gender

Young men

Young women
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More anxious about future
migration in home country prepped for migration
 More “freedom” here and
less connection to families
 Generally less successful at
repetitive tasks (homework)
needed for school success
 Disciplinary issues –
oppositional stance and
perceptions of school
personnel
More depressed in some
studies
 More able to connect with
non-family mentors at
school & succeed
academically
 Complain about double
standards for female/male
behavior
 More family chores & more
family connection
Pilot Study

Small qualitative (grounded theory)
study as a pilot for nursing doctoral
research (UCSF)
Setting
Berkeley,
California
“a small population
with a big reputation”
pop. 102, 743
(2000)
Latino Population:
9.7%
Berkeley HS: Latinos = 450/3300 (13%)
5% English learners
Sample
Inclusion criteria:
HS and beyond
immigrant from Mexico or Central America
separated from parent at least 4 years
during process of immigration
Recruited through HS counselors &
health center, parent outreach worker,
interfaith organizer
Data collection
Time frame 9/07- 6/08
Participant observation
& field notes
parent & youth meetings
support group for postEL HS students
In-depth interviews - 5
youth (Spanish &
English)
Challenges & Opportunities
Clinical Settings
Role of RN/NP
Research
Role of researcher
Scope: well-defined
Trust: high
Length of relationship:
open-ended
Scope: not well-defined
Teens want to talk about family
dynamics& individual risks,
Teens want to talk about EL, peers,
LESS about gangs and community
issues
Trust: skepticism
Length of relationship:
limited
gangs, ICE, LESS about
family dynamics
Preliminary Findings

Expected themes
 Long-distance parenting
 Expected parenting roles
mediated by
gender
 Mother
as caretakers even when supporting
family financially
 Father as breadwinner/disciplinarian even
when taking on emotionally nurturing roles
 Parental
 Youth
guilt
angrier at distant mothers, regardless of
reason for separation
Preliminary Findings

Expected themes
 Excitement
AND ambivalence about
immigration
 Critical
times for parent’s presence puberty, adolescent rituals
 Quinceañera,
graduations
Preliminary Findings

Unexpected themes
 English
learner classes as community
 Role of technology in maintaining and
shaping parent-child relationships across
borders
 Ambivalence of young women about
changing gender roles in US
Family Reunification Issues

Puberty seems to be a critical time for
parents & youth to be connected
 Youths
especially miss same gender
parent
 Rituals of adolescence (quinceañera,
graduations)

Parents not always conscious of the
“culture shock” of encountering racism
& discrimination for new arrivals
Family Reunification Issues

Findings from the
literature:

Transition may be
easier

with preparation,
when caretaker in
home country & parent
in host country support
each other’s roles

when parents have
some awareness of
potential reunification
problems
“Anticipatory
guidance” a big part
of
pediatric/adolescent
health care
 Could youth &
parents benefit from
anticipatory
guidance?

Growing Up in the Transnational
Family

Next steps: stay tuned- qualitative study of
what is working for late immigrant youth
reunifying with families in Mission District

Contact:
Naomi A. Schapiro, RN, PhD (c), CPNP
[email protected]
References available