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06:15
A Modified Trier Social Stress Test for Vulnerable Mexican American Adolescents
Published on: July 10, 2017
Assessing psychological symptoms in recent immigrant adolescents
1Department of Psychiatry, University of California, 2727 Mariposa Street, Suite 100, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA. sita.patel@ucsf.edu
Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
|September 8, 2010
Summary
Recent immigrant youth report more psychological distress than typically observed, yet teachers often underestimate these symptoms. Active screening is crucial for identifying mental health needs in this vulnerable population.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Public Health
- Immigration Studies
Background:
- Immigrant youth face unique psychosocial stressors, increasing their risk for psychological distress.
- Limited research exists on psychopathology in recently immigrated youth during early acculturation stages.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare student and teacher reports of psychological symptoms in a diverse sample of recently immigrated youth.
- To explore DSM-derived subscales of psychopathology in this population.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA) with 174 recently immigrated high school students.
- Collected independent student self-reports and teacher ratings of psychological symptoms.
- Analyzed four DSM-derived subscales.
Main Results:
- Immigrant students reported psychological symptoms exceeding normative rates.
- Teacher ratings of student symptoms were significantly lower than student self-reports.
- The discrepancy between self- and teacher-reports was greater than in normative samples.
Conclusions:
- Many immigrant youth experience significant psychological problems that may go unrecognized by teachers.
- Relying solely on self-help-seeking or teacher observation is insufficient for assessment.
- Active screening is recommended for effective identification of mental health issues in immigrant youth.
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