Immigration Adjustments – Despite the stresses of migration and adapting to life in a new country, immigrants arriving at age 11 or older “are far less likely to have mental health problems compared to people born in the United States. This was the case for immigrants from Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America, as well as from top immigrant-sending countries such as Mexico, China, India, and El Salvador.” This is not random, “rather, people who are motivated and able to pick up everything to start a new life in a foreign country are more likely to be physically and psychologically healthy compared to those who do not migrate.”
“For their study, the researchers analyzed data from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (2012–2013), a nationally representative survey of 36,309 adults in the United States. Along with face-to-face structured psychiatric interviews, the survey also asks participants about their immigration status.”
Immigrants Less Likely to Meet Criteria for Common Mental Health Issues
“The researchers found that immigrants were significantly less likely to meet the criteria for an anxiety, depressive, and trauma-related disorder. The findings provide support for the healthy migrant hypothesis.”
“We argue that this is likely because migration is not random — rather, people who are motivated and able to pick up everything to start a new life in a foreign country are more likely to be physically and psychologically healthy compared to those who do not migrate.”
Healthy Migrant Effect
“There is a lot of support for this idea, and scholars have even coined a term for it: the healthy migrant effect. The basic notion here is that self-selection is a core feature of migration, and that those who self-select for migration tend to be part of a uniquely hearty and healthy subset.”
“The researchers also found that the risk for psychiatric problems was lowest among those who migrated to the United States after age 12.”
“‘Although our results were quite clear cut, we did find one important exception: individuals who migrated during childhood (age 11 or younger) were, on average, no more or less likely than people born in the US to have mental health problems as adults,’ Salas-Wright explained.”
“This is a similar pattern that we have seen with other outcomes—like substance use and obesity—where those who migrate as children tend to more closely resemble persons born in the US than those who migrate later on in life.”
“It is also quite possible that those who immigrate as children are more likely to be negatively impacted by bullying, discrimination, and other migration-related stressors that can place them at risk for mental health problems like depression and anxiety.”
Immigration Counseling with Elaine Korngold
In my private practice I often work with clients who are immigrants, helping to improve their overall mental health and focusing on various cultural challenges they encounter. Contact me to learn more.