Screening and Assessing Immigrant and Refugee Youth in School-Based Mental Health Programs

According to the 2000 Census, 1 of every 5 children in the United States is a child of immigrants – either a child who is an immigrant or has at least one immigrant parent. While most children who experience mental health problems have limited access to help, children who have migrated to this country, especially under difficult circumstances, face particular challenges. Providers may be unfamiliar with their culture or the way that their culture understands mental health issues; children and their caregivers may not speak English, and the tools developed to identify and treat children with mental health needs may not have been tested for effectiveness with all populations. Dina Birman, PhD, and graduate student Wing Yi Chan begin our series of papers that will address what is known about best practice in providing school-based mental health services to children of immigrants and refugees. More information on this series and related resources is found at www.healthinschools.or

Screening and Assessing Immigrant and Refugee Youth in School-Based Mental Health Programs

According to the 2000 Census, 1 of every 5 children in the United States is a child of immigrants – either a child who is an immigrant or has at least one immigrant parent. While most children who experience mental health problems have limited access to help, children who have migrated to this country, especially under difficult circumstances, face particular challenges. Providers may be unfamiliar with their culture or the way that their culture understands mental health issues; children and their caregivers may not speak English, and the tools developed to identify and treat children with mental health needs may not have been tested for effectiveness with all populations. Dina Birman, PhD, and graduate student Wing Yi Chan begin our series of papers that will address what is known about best practice in providing school-based mental health services to children of immigrants and refugees. More information on this series and related resources is found at www.healthinschools.or

“WE TEACH THEM THE WAYS WE CAN…”: educational practices for immigrant children in elementary schools in Russia

AbstractThe aim of this research was to identify the educational practices that elementary school teachers use in working with immigrant children for linguistic and academic support purposes. Empirical data were collected through interviews with twenty elementary school teachers. The interviews were analyzed using inductive and deductive content analysis methods. The measures to create a favorable atmosphere in the classroom and the psychological comfort of the child include practices to promote respect for different ethnicities, developing intercultural communication skills. In the absence of institutionalized structures, teachers take the initiative to adapt their teaching and instructional methods when working with immigrant children. The inclusion of parents in the educational process can be used in all directions of the practices of teachers with immigrant children. In the context of Tatarstan, the teaching of Russian as a foreign language is possible through the Tatar language, which belongs to the Turkish language family. The native languages of most immigrants arriving in Tatarstan also belong to the Turkish language family.Keywords: teachers’ educational practices, immigrant children, language support, academic support, promotion of a favorable climate“NÓS OS ENSINAMOS COMO PODEMOS ...” Práticas educacionais para crianças imigrantes em escolas primárias na RússiaResumo: O objetivo da presente pesquisa foi identificar as práticas educativas que os professores do ensino fundamental utilizam no trabalho com crianças imigrantes para fins linguísticos e de apoio acadêmico. Os dados empíricos foram coletados por meio de entrevistas com vinte professores do ensino fundamental. As entrevistas foram analisadas por meio de métodos de análise de conteúdo indutiva e dedutiva.  As medidas para a criação de um clima favorável na sala de aula e o conforto psicológico da criança incluem práticas de promoção do respeito às diferentes etnias, desenvolvendo habilidades de comunicação intercultural. Na ausência de estruturas institucionalizadas, os professores tomam a iniciativa de adaptar seus métodos de ensino e instrução ao trabalhar com crianças imigrantes. A inclusão dos pais no processo educacional pode ser usada em todas as direções das práticas dos professores com crianças imigrantes. No contexto do Tartaristão, o ensino do russo como língua estrangeira é possível por meio da língua tártara, que pertence à família das línguas turcas. As línguas nativas da maioria dos imigrantes que chegam ao Tartaristão também pertencem à família das línguas turcas.Palavras-chave:práticas educacionais de professores, filhos imigrantes, apoio linguístico, apoio acadêmico, promoção de um clima favorável“LES ENSEÑAMOS CÓMO PODEMOS ...” Prácticas educativas para niños inmigrantes en escuelas primarias de RusiaResumenEl objetivo de esta investigación fue identificar las prácticas educativas que utilizan los maestros de primaria en el trabajo con niños inmigrantes con fines de apoyo lingüístico y académico. Los datos empíricos se recopilaron a través de entrevistas con veinte maestros de escuela primaria. Las entrevistas se analizaron utilizando métodos de análisis de contenido inductivos y deductivos. Las medidas para crear un ambiente favorable en el aula y el confort psicológico del niño incluyen prácticas para promover el respeto a las diferentes etnias, desarrollando habilidades de comunicación intercultural. En ausencia de estructuras institucionalizadas, los maestros toman la iniciativa de adaptar sus métodos de enseñanza e instrucción cuando trabajan con niños inmigrantes. La inclusión de los padres en el proceso educativo se puede utilizar en todas las direcciones de las prácticas de los profesores con niños inmigrantes. En el contexto de Tartaristán, la enseñanza del ruso como lengua extranjera es posible a través del idioma tártaro, que pertenece a la familia del idioma turco. Las lenguas nativas de la mayoría de los inmigrantes que llegan a Tartaristán también pertenecen a la familia de las lenguas turcas.Palabras claves: prácticas educativas de los profesores, niños inmigrantes, apoyo lingüístico, apoyo académico, promoción de un clima favorableAbstractThe aim of this research was to identify the educational practices that elementary school teachers use in working with immigrant children for linguistic and academic support purposes. Empirical data were collected through interviews with twenty elementary school teachers. The interviews were analyzed using inductive and deductive content analysis methods. The measures to create a favorable atmosphere in the classroom and the psychological comfort of the child include practices to promote respect for different ethnicities, developing intercultural communication skills. In the absence of institutionalized structures, teachers take the initiative to adapt their teaching and instructional methods when working with immigrant children. The inclusion of parents in the educational process can be used in all directions of the practices of teachers with immigrant children. In the context of Tatarstan, the teaching of Russian as a foreign language is possible through the Tatar language, which belongs to the Turkish language family. The native languages of most immigrants arriving in Tatarstan also belong to the Turkish language family.Keywords: teachers’ educational practices, immigrant children, language support, academic support, promotion of a favorable climate“NÓS OS ENSINAMOS COMO PODEMOS ...” Práticas educacionais para crianças imigrantes em escolas primárias na RússiaResumo: O objetivo da presente pesquisa foi identificar as práticas educativas que os professores do ensino fundamental utilizam no trabalho com crianças imigrantes para fins linguísticos e de apoio acadêmico. Os dados empíricos foram coletados por meio de entrevistas com vinte professores do ensino fundamental. As entrevistas foram analisadas por meio de métodos de análise de conteúdo indutiva e dedutiva.  As medidas para a criação de um clima favorável na sala de aula e o conforto psicológico da criança incluem práticas de promoção do respeito às diferentes etnias, desenvolvendo habilidades de comunicação intercultural. Na ausência de estruturas institucionalizadas, os professores tomam a iniciativa de adaptar seus métodos de ensino e instrução ao trabalhar com crianças imigrantes. A inclusão dos pais no processo educacional pode ser usada em todas as direções das práticas dos professores com crianças imigrantes. No contexto do Tartaristão, o ensino do russo como língua estrangeira é possível por meio da língua tártara, que pertence à família das línguas turcas. As línguas nativas da maioria dos imigrantes que chegam ao Tartaristão também pertencem à família das línguas turcas.Palavras-chave:práticas educacionais de professores, filhos imigrantes, apoio linguístico, apoio acadêmico, promoção de um clima favorável“LES ENSEÑAMOS CÓMO PODEMOS ...” Prácticas educativas para niños inmigrantes en escuelas primarias de RusiaResumenEl objetivo de esta investigación fue identificar las prácticas educativas que utilizan los maestros de primaria en el trabajo con niños inmigrantes con fines de apoyo lingüístico y académico. Los datos empíricos se recopilaron a través de entrevistas con veinte maestros de escuela primaria. Las entrevistas se analizaron utilizando métodos de análisis de contenido inductivos y deductivos. Las medidas para crear un ambiente favorable en el aula y el confort psicológico del niño incluyen prácticas para promover el respeto a las diferentes etnias, desarrollando habilidades de comunicación intercultural. En ausencia de estructuras institucionalizadas, los maestros toman la iniciativa de adaptar sus métodos de enseñanza e instrucción cuando trabajan con niños inmigrantes. La inclusión de los padres en el proceso educativo se puede utilizar en todas las direcciones de las prácticas de los profesores con niños inmigrantes. En el contexto de Tartaristán, la enseñanza del ruso como lengua extranjera es posible a través del idioma tártaro, que pertenece a la familia del idioma turco. Las lenguas nativas de la mayoría de los inmigrantes que llegan a Tartaristán también pertenecen a la familia de las lenguas turcas.Palabras claves: prácticas educativas de los profesores, niños inmigrantes, apoyo lingüístico, apoyo académico, promoción de un clima favorable

Is a Theory of the Problem Sufficient for a Theory of the Solution? Negotiating Tensions among Research, Practice, Advocacy and Activism in Serving Immigrant Communities

The lives of members of immigrant communities are inevitably shaped by U.S. laws, rapidly-shifting immigration policy, institutional policies and practices (e.g., in schools), and how immigrants are welcomed (or not) by members of host communities (Portes & Rumbaut, 2001). These and other aspects of the context of reception have important implications for immigrant integration, education and employment, and mental health. Accordingly, there have been significant calls for psychologists to take active roles in advocacy and activism, which resonates deeply with many of us. Roundtable organizers are community psychologists working with immigrant communities and seeking to negotiate the tensions that can arise at the intersections of research, practice, advocacy and activism. For example: • APA’s Toolkit for Local Advocacy defines advocacy as sharing information within a system with the assumption that the information will help the system respond effectively; activism, on the other hand, is more likely to indict systems perceived as unjust, perhaps from the outside. How does one choose between--or balance--advocacy and activism? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each for trying to solve specific problems in different contexts? • How does one balance social science and research goals that presumably could provide valuable information in working with immigrant communities with advocacy and activism goals? Can we have one without the other, and if so, should we? • If we integrate these roles, do we run the risk of being perceived as less objective on one hand and less invested in communities (or complicit in injustice) on the other? • Is a theory of the problem sufficient for a theory of the solution? Is it possible to move from problems to solutions without the insight and influence that insiders can provide? Participants will share the (imperfect) ways they have balanced research, practice, advocacy and activism in their work

Psychometric Properties of the Brazilian Version of GOHAI among Community-Dwelling Elderly People

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Migration and Well-being: Beyond the Macrosystem

This commentary reviews the contributions of the 6 papers to the emerging focus on migration within community psychology. This collection of articles on migration and community represents a growing interest in the field in immigration issues in general, and a community psychology focus on these issues in particular. The papers span a range of issues raised by migration in a variety of different contexts. The papers reflect principles of community psychology by articulating a perspective on migration and its outcomes within national and global contexts. Taken together, these articles demonstrate the increasing mutual enrichment of immigration and community research. The articles suggest the need to continue to articulate psychological constructs as transactional and contextual across multiple levels of analysis

Acculturation Gap And Family Adjustment Findings With Soviet Jewish Refugees in the United States and Implications for Measurement

This study examined the impact of “acculturation gaps” on family adjustment of 115 adolescent refugees from the former Soviet Union and their parents. Acculturation and acculturation gaps were assessed with respect to the American and Russian culture and separately for identity, behavioral, and language competence dimensions of acculturation. Acculturation gaps were operationalized in two different ways in analyses: Difference scores were computed between parent and adolescent acculturation levels and used to predict family conflict and disagreement, and moderated regression analyses examined the main effects and interactions of parent and adolescent acculturation variables in predicting family conflict and disagreement. Results suggest the importance of some gaps for family discord, not others. In particular, gaps in American identity, American behavior, and Russian language were associated with greater family discord. Results also suggest the relative advantages of using the moderated regression approach to assess the impact of the acculturation gap and using bidirectional and multidimensional acculturation measures in acculturation gap research

Sins of Omission and Commission To Proceed, Decline, or Alter?

The article addresses a hypothetical dilemma confronted by an evaluator of a transition from welfare program regarding inclusion of a small immigrant/language minority group in the study. The article advocates for inclusion of diverse groups. Three important aspects of diversity are discussed that have particular relevance to transition from welfare for immigrants and refuges: legal status, the relative size and concentration of the ethnic/language community, and the specific cultural and historical circumstances. Legal status is a factor that affects eligibility for welfare and incentives for transitioning to work. Smaller groups may be particularly important to include because their access to culturally sensitive resources may be especially limited. Historical circumstances in the country of origin shape the attitudes of an immigrant or refugee group toward use of government aid. The ethical dilemma is discussed in relation to the AEA’s Guiding Principles for Evaluators of Diversity, Competence, and Honesty and Integrity

Ethnic Identity in Acculturation Research A Study of Multiple Identities of Jewish Refugees From the Former Soviet Union

This study explored the salience and predictive value of the identity dimension of acculturation among 351 Jewish refugees from the former Soviet Union in the United States. Whereas bidirectional acculturation models consider only two identities—ethnic identification with the culture of origin (Russian) and identification as a member of one’s new society (American)—this study broadens the examination of identity to include a third component—Jewish identity. Jewish identity was found to be the most salient of the three but predicted only one of the aspects of psychological adjustment—alienation. Findings underscore the need for the acculturation field to incorporate the possibility of more than two cultures into the explanatory framework and to examine the extent to which ethnocultural identities are contextually bound