Date of Award

Spring 2024

Degree Type

Capstone - Open Access

First Advisor

Jonathan Kessler

Abstract

Immigrants face stressors that are unique to the migration experience and can cause or exacerbate mental health outcomes. The Latinx immigrant population in the United States is less likely to utilize mental health services and is more likely to have poorer mental health outcomes. The underutilization of mental health services and the negative consequences of untreated mental health issues among Latinx immigrants underscore the pressing need for further research to guide interventions and care models. This systematic literature review evaluates recent studies on the impact of immigration and acculturation on mental health outcomes and mental health service use among the immigrant Latinx population in the US. Acculturative stress is one of the persistent and exacerbating issues that Latinx immigrants may face as a result of their immigration process and subsequent adaptation. Results show that higher acculturation gap conflicts were linked to increased depressive symptoms. The most influential acculturative stressors were marital, family, and occupation/economic stress. The implications of this review indicate that further focus on acculturative stress can potentially guide future outreach to the Latinx immigrant population, which can improve mental health outcomes and behavioral health service use.

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