When the United States says you do not belong: Suicide-related thoughts and behaviors among immigrant young adults varying in immigration legal status

Background: The number of immigrants in the United States and the risk of suicide among minoritized individuals have increased. Little research has examined the impact of immigration legal status on suicide-related thoughts and behaviors (SRTB), despite theoretical and empirical work suggesting that feelings of burdensomeness and failure to belong (prominent among immigrants) are risk factors. Methods: We examined a diverse sample of foreign-born young adults (18–25; N = 366). Data collection utilized the Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire Revised and items probing belongingness and immigration status (undocumented/Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), permanent, and citizen). Results: DACA/undocumented status was associated with increased SRTB compared with permanent and citizen categories. Increased SRTBs were associated with reduced feelings of acceptance in the United States, increased deportation fears, and increased fear of being harassed or hurt. Of these belongingness variables, only the interpersonal—not feeling welcome in the United States—partially mediated the risk relation between DACA/undocumented immigration legal status and SRTBs, whereas physical and legal threat, like deportation, did not. Conclusions: Our results highlight the interpersonal nature of SRTB risk in DACA/undocumented immigrants and the need for targeted culture and context-appropriate interventions, as well as advocacy and policy to reduce risk in this historically marginalized population

Trauma Exposure and Trauma Symptoms as Predictors of Police Perceptions in Latinx Youths

Objective: The Latinx immigrant youth population composes nearly a quarter of all children in the U.S. and are a high-risk group for police encounters. Based on perceptions of Latinxs as criminals, increased enforcement actions against Latinxs in the U.S., and failures of policing and police brutality in immigrants’ home countries, we expected that immigrants who reported increased trauma exposure and symptoms would have more negative perceptions of police. Method: This study utilized data from 107 recently immigrated Latinx youth to examine how trauma exposure (Child Trauma Screen) and symptoms (Child PTSD Symptoms Scale) related to perceptions of police (Criminal Sentiments Scale–Modified). Results: Consistent with the proposed hypotheses, trauma symptoms evidenced a significant main effect in relation to perceptions of police, B = .115, t = 2.35; p = .021, such that greater trauma symptoms were associated with more negative perceptions of law enforcement. Though trauma exposure did not evidence a significant main effect in relation to perceptions of police, B = .254, t = 1.46; p = .146, moderation analyses indicated that trauma exposure was associated with more negative perceptions of police, B = −.019, t = −2.08; p = .040. However, this interaction effect indicated that when both trauma symptoms and trauma exposure were high, less negative perceptions of police were observed. Conclusion: The present study provides novel data on police perceptions in young Latinx immigrants. Findings highlight the need for improved community relations and culturally responsive strategies between law enforcement and communities of color. (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved

VALOR: Cultural considerations when assessing Central American immigrant women in behavioral health settings

The topic of immigration is timely yet polarizing. By definition, to be an immigrant implies being in a state of transition and transformation. The eventual outcome is likely to be influenced by a series of contextual factors starting in the country of origin, continuing during the migration journey, and culminating in receiving communities. The authors use a fictional case example of a Central American immigrant woman to illustrate VALOR, the Spanish word for courage, as an acronym that identifies five key areas for clinical consideration in behavioral health settings: Values, Arrival in the United States, Losses, Obstacles to care, and Resources. VALOR offers guidance for a culturally informed assessment critical for mental health clinicians. Implications for culturally affirming treatment directions including advocacy, community linkage, and attention to trauma and unresolved grief are woven into the discussion

Lessons Learned From Undocumented Latinx Immigrants: How to Build Resilience and Overcome Distress in the Face of Adversity

Living under chronic uncertainty, fear, and isolation is the experience of many undocumented immigrants particularly under the recent sociopolitical climate. Yet, despite facing chronic adversity and an uncertain future, undocumented immigrants are highly resilient. This paper draws upon the clinical and research expertise of leading Latinx psychologists working with diverse undocumented communities across the United States. Qualitative data from seven focus groups with undocumented Latinxs and 15 in-depth interviews with key informants were used to complement clinical insights to identify and highlight strategies of undocumented Latinxs that promote their resilience. Overall, six primary strategies emerged including cognitive reframing, behavioral adaptability, acceptance, sociability, courage, and ancestral or cultural pride. Within each of these primary strategies, two-to-five additional facets emerged. We also identified the positive effects of the aforementioned strategies, including the fostering of meaning, purpose, and hope. Our findings are essential to address biases and stigmatization against undocumented immigrants, as well as to inform strength-based interventions and services, as well as culturally and contextually sensitive resources. Health services providers working with undocumented Latinxs can identify and build on strengths in their patients to demonstrate accurate cultural understanding and also to support resilience

An Exploratory Study of Healing Circles as a Strategy to Facilitate Resilience in an Undocumented Community

Within the United States, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted critical inequalities affecting undocumented communities and resulting in particularly heightened stress for members of these communities. In addition to the stress associated with COVID-19, immigrants in the United States were more than ever subjected to a hostile antiimmigrant climate under Trump’s administration. Given this compounded stress, the impact of the pandemic on mental health is likely to be disproportionately experienced by undocumented immigrants. In response, a group of psychologists partnered with a leading immigrant rights advocacy organization and formed a reciprocal collaboration to support undocumented communities. A major focus of the collaboration is to foster learning, supporting members of the immigrant community to contribute to their own well-being and others in the community. Accordingly, the collaborative developed and delivered a web-based mental health education session to the immigrant community and to practitioners serving this population. The session presented the use of healing circles as a strength-based approach to building resilience and also sought feedback regarding specific features of healing circles that can enhance their effectiveness in managing distress. Survey data and qualitative findings from this study show that those who participated in the web-based program perceived the session as validating and informative. Findings also underscored the need for creating safe spaces for community members to be vulnerable about their lived experiences while promoting ownership of their narratives. We discuss practical implications pertaining to the development and facilitation of social support groups for immigrants led by nonspecialist community members trained for this role. Impact Statement We describe a reciprocal collaboration between psychologists and an immigrant-led advocacy organization for the purposes of supporting undocumented immigrants in tailoring culturally congruent therapeutic approaches for fostering resilience as they face multiple stressors due to interlocking crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and antiimmigrant policies. The collaboration led to the development and delivery of a web-based session that provided immigrant community members and practitioners with recommendations for facilitating healing circles as a strength-based and culturally responsive approach to fostering peer-led social support during stressful times. Findings highlight the need for creating such safe spaces for community members to be vulnerable about their lived experiences and feel validated

Hugo Chávez: una década en el poder

Una década de Hugo Chávez Frías y su proyecto político en Venezuela trajo consigo un cambio de paradigmas que llama la atención de la sociedad en general. Este libro es el resultado del esfuerzo conjunto de un grupo de académicos de distintas nacionalidades que desde sus líneas de investigación realizan análisis que le brindan al lector elementos para comprender de manera global lo que significa una década de gobierno del Presidente Chávez en Venezuela.Este libro es el resultado del esfuerzo conjunto de un grupo de académicos de distintas nacionalidades que desde sus líneas de investigación realizan análisis que le brindan al lector elementos para comprender de manera global lo que significa una década de gobierno del Presidente Chávez en Venezuela

Anti-immigration policy and mental health: Risk of distress and trauma among deferred action for childhood arrivals recipients in the United States

Objective: This study examined the association between immigration legal status and distress from the announcement of the termination of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program among individuals affected by this potentially traumatic event (PTE), along with identifying relevant risk factors. Method: Participants (N = 233) affected by the termination announcement provided cross-sectional self-reports on distress from the announcement that was measured using the Impact of Events Scale-Revised. Results: Of the participants, 40.7% met the clinical cutoff for distress from the PTE indicative of posttraumatic stress disorder. DACA recipients had significantly higher levels of distress from the PTE compared with non-DACA undocumented immigrants and documented counterparts, χ²(2, N = 233) = 23.25, p \u3c .001. After controlling for covariates, being a DACA recipient (OR = 4.11, 95% confidence interval [1.99, 8.50], p \u3c .001), being male (OR = 2.06, [1.05, 4.03], p = .035), and having lower financial security (OR = .54, [.38, .75], p \u3c .001) were significantly associated with distress. Conclusion: The future of DACA recipients is uncertain, which can be trauma inducing. The field of psychology needs to make space for this kind of experience as potentially traumatic. Advocacy efforts to shift immigration policies can be strengthened to alter the negative effects of the potential termination of DACA on those affected by it. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

A decolonial and liberation lens to social justice research: Upholding promises for diverse, inclusive, and equitable psychological science

In the face of harmful disparities and inequities, it is crucial for researchers to critically reflect on methodologies and research practices that can dismantle systems of oppression, accommodate pluralistic realities, and facilitate opportunities for all communities to thrive. Historically, knowledge production for the sciences has followed a colonial and colonizing approach that continues to silence and decontextualize the lived experiences of people of color. This article acknowledges the harm to people of color communities in the name of research and draws from decolonial and liberation frameworks to advance research practices and psychological science toward equity and social justice. In this article, we propose a lens rooted in decolonial and liberatory principles that researchers can use to rethink and guide their scientific endeavors and collaborations toward more ethical, equitable, inclusive, respectful, and pluralistic research practices. The proposed lens draws on literature from community psychology and our lessons learned from field studies with historically marginalized Latinx communities to highlight six interrelated tensions that are important to address in psychological research from a decolonizing and liberatory lens. These interrelated tensions involve conflicting issues of (a) power, (b) competence, (c) practices and theories, (d) rationale, (e) approach, and (f) trust. In addition, seven practical recommendations and examples for decolonial and liberatory research practices are outlined. The recommendations can assist researchers in identifying ways to ameliorate and address the interrelated tensions to give way to decolonial and liberatory research practices. Community and social justice scientists have the responsibility to decommission oppressive research practices and engage in decolonization and liberation toward a valid, ethical, equitable, and inclusive psychological science