First-Generation American Teens

in Academic Stress / Anxiety / Cultural Stressors / Depression / Mental Health / Parent Tips / Parent-Teen Communication / Parenting / Perfectionism / Post Traumatic Stress Disorder / Stress / Stress Management  by Adolescent Counseling Services 0 comments

Written By: Patricia H. Scherer, MS, Clinical Intern at ACS, On-Campus Counseling Program

Growing up

the child of immigrants can have numerous advantages for some individuals. Immigrant parents from many cultures, including LatinX, Asian, and Eastern European backgrounds, emphasize the importance of family, collectivistic values, and cultural and religious heritage, all of which can buffer against poor mental health. However, some values can, unknowingly, negatively impact a teen’s mental health, including limited autonomy, strict discipline, and academic or financial pressure. For some families, high expectations and a reluctance or inability to seek mental health support can leave first-generation teens potentially struggling with various mental health issues.

Generational Trauma

Although people may immigrate to the U.S. for many different reasons, many immigrants are escaping violence, persecution, poverty, social injustices, and other traumatic experiences in their countries of origin. In addition, the migration journey and relocation to a new country can be traumatic. Once here, immigrants face other challenges, such as navigating their refugee status, permanent residence, or citizenship status, all of which may take years to receive. If unable to receive any of these statuses, undocumented immigrants face difficulties finding work, housing, and medical care without the necessary documentation. The risk taken by some immigrants can trigger a lack of trust in the system, fear of being sent back to their countries, and an overall sense of feeling unsafe. These experiences can affect one’s mental health, resulting in difficulties for the individual that can impact their families and the next generation.

Assimilation

Many immigrants are pressured to assimilate into American culture, adopting US mainstream practices at the expense of losing their cultural traditions. This includes societal expectations that they learn and primarily speak English and eat, dress, and act according to American social norms. The pressure to assimilate can negatively affect their mental health. Teens born to immigrant parents in the U.S. face unique problems as they balance both of their cultures. First-generation teens are often more rooted in American culture than their parents and adopt mainstream values that may be in opposition to their parents’ cultural values, potentially creating tension between the teen and their parents. Teens also want to “fit in” with their peers and not be seen as different to avoid prejudice and alienation from their peers. These feelings of “not belonging” can trigger poor mental health symptoms.

Limited Autonomy

For a variety of culturally-endorsed reasons, some immigrant parents value strict discipline and limited autonomy to keep their first-generation teens safe. However, in some circumstances these values can stifle independence and create a lack of identity. In the teen years, children begin to pull away from their parents in developmentally appropriate ways, such as spending more time with their friends rather than family and trying to discover their identities. Being unable to foster independence can lead to mental health issues.

Academic Pressure

Children of immigrants often face pressure from their parents to succeed academically or financially due to their parents often not having the same educational or financial opportunities. A shared value amongst immigrant parents from many cultures is education being the only way out of poverty and to succeed. First-generation teens may feel guilty for their parent’s sacrifices and think that to be a “good” child, they need to live up to their parent’s expectations, regardless of their own values and dreams. In addition, many first-generation teens may fear that they will fail their parents and that their parent’s sacrifices will have gone to waste. This immense pressure and guilt may burden a first-generation teen’s mental health.

How Can Immigrant Parents Help?

Understand the Signs of a Struggling Teen:

  • Changes in sleep (i.e., struggling to get out of bed or difficulty sleeping)
  • Changes in appetite (i.e., not wanting to eat regularly)
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Lack of energy
  • Hopelessness or guilt
  • Lack of interest in activities
  • Frequent worrying or perfectionism
  • Not wanting to go to school
  • Struggling to maintain a daily routine

What to do:

  • Offer support and understanding
  • Provide more autonomy
  • Understand your own emotions and trauma
  • Talk to your teen about the pressures they are facing
  • Seek professional help

___________________________

References

Hispanic/Latinx immigrants and first-generation Americans. NAMI. (n.d.). Retrieved January 10, 2022, from https://www.nami.org/Your-Journey/Identity-and-Cultural-Dimensions/Hispanic-Latinx/Hispanic-Latinx-Immigrants-and-First-Generation-Americans

Raised by immigrant parents: First Generation Mental Health. Supportiv. (2021, April 14). Retrieved January 10, 2022, from https://www.supportiv.com/amplify/invalidated-dismissal-first-generation-immigrant-parents-mental-health

Su, E., Rosenblatt, K., O’Neill, R., & Rauch, J. (2019, December 20). The hidden stress of being a child of immigrants. Talkspace. Retrieved January 10, 2022, from https://www.talkspace.com/blog/first-generation-immigrant-stress/