"Despues De La Tormenta Viene La Calma": Perceived Sources of Support Among Central American Unaccompanied Immigrant Youth after Resettling in the United States

Background and Purpose:

Unaccompanied immigrant minors (UMs) face a heightened risk for developing psychological sequelae such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety after resettling in the United States due to exposure to trauma and migration-related adversities. Social workers are uniquely positioned to promote the mental health and well-being of UMs in schools and communities. Given the expanding immigration enforcement regime, it is crucial to develop interventions that promote resilience and support immigrant youth facing mental health challenges after resettling in the United States. This qualitative arts-based study explores what UMs identify as sources of support following resettlement in a California urban city.

Methods:

This qualitative phenomenological study engaged six UMs from an urban school in California through body mapping and testimonio interviews. Body mapping involves participants utilizing art materials to visually respond to interview questions on a life-sized body map, thereby generating visual and symbolic data that reflects their subjective experiences (Gastaldo et al., 2012). The study consisted of three one-hour, in-person sessions of body mapping, each guided by a semi-structured interview protocol designed to elicit information regarding migration, mental health, and future aspirations.

Participants were selected using purposive snowball sampling and were either 18 or 19 years old; three identified as female and three as male. Each participant had migrated from Central America within the last three years of the interview and spoke Spanish. Interviews were voice-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Photographs of the finished body maps were captured for analysis alongside the transcripts. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006).

Results:

Data analysis revealed individual, relational, structural, and spiritual/cultural sources of support contributing to their resilience. For example, at the relational level, participants described how receiving support from trusting adults (e.g., teachers, coaches, therapists) and connecting with family served to facilitate coping with isolation and improved adjustment. Participants also described the role of religious beliefs and ties to one’s cultural heritage in supporting their mental health during this period of adjustment.

Implications:

This study suggests that UMs describe several sources of support that contribute to their resilience and adjustment after resettlement in the United States. Findings reveal important insights for service providers to support UM’s adjustment by tailoring interventions to promote UM's strengths and assets. For example, focusing on interventions that foster supportive relationships, establish safe spaces within the community, and incorporate cultural practices and indigenous traditions into treatment planning. Recognizing various sources of support for UMs provides social workers with a strengths-based approach to enhance resilience and promote well-being among this vulnerable population.