Exploring the Impact of Cultural Identity on Mental Health Outcomes in Migrating Hispanic Parent-Child Dyads: A Study on Sociocultural Adaptation on Minority Stress

Abstract

In our globalized world, the movement of people across borders has led to diverse multicultural societies. Immigrant populations, navigating challenges in cultural adaptation and mental well-being, particularly during crisis migration, face additional obstacles. This phenomenon, marked by forced displacement due to conflicts or disasters, significantly impacts families, exacerbating existing challenges. Adverse circumstances during crisis migration, such as loss of homes and exposure to violence, profoundly affect mental well-being and family dynamics. Families may struggle to maintain cultural identity amidst the crisis and the need to integrate into a new society, leading to psychological distress and adjustment difficulties.Understanding the interplay between cultural identity, mental health outcomes, and family dynamics in crisis-affected immigrant families is crucial. Recognizing and addressing their unique challenges allows for targeted interventions, promoting well-being and successful integration.Puerto Rican and Venezuelan communities, with distinct migration experiences, offer an opportunity to investigate the relationship between cultural identity and mental health outcomes, particularly in parent-child relationships. Three data sets, focusing on Puerto Rican parent-child relationships and Venezuelan parent-child relationships, all cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, provide a comprehensive overview. Although distinct populations, the common thread between these groups are that 1) they were both displaced through crisis, and 2) both are culturally different to their host country.</p