Date of Award

8-2023

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College/School

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Department/Program

Psychology

Thesis Sponsor/Dissertation Chair/Project Chair

Jazmin Reyes-Portillo

Committee Member

Michael Bixter

Committee Member

Sally Grapin

Committee Member

Lillian Polanco-Roman

Abstract

Due to demographic changes of the U.S. population in the past few decades, more attention has been placed on understanding the sociocultural factors that have an impact on racially and ethnically minoritized (REM) groups and mental health outcomes. One of the factors that has been gaining increased attention in the past few years is acculturative stress. Acculturative stress is associated with various mental health outcomes, such as depression, anxiety, psychological distress, and suicide ideation (SI). However, the magnitude of this association remains unclear. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to provide a comprehensive review of the impact of acculturative stress on depression, anxiety, psychological distress, and suicidal ideation among racially and ethnically minoritized youth. We also aimed to explore whether sociodemographic variables (i.e., race/ethnicity, generational status, sex/gender, and age) moderate the relationships between acculturative stress and mental health outcomes. Forty-three studies met inclusion criteria and were included in this systematic review and meta- analysis. A positive relationship of moderate size between acculturative stress and depression, anxiety, psychological distress, and suicidal ideation was found. Moderation analyses also revealed that the impact of acculturative stress on depression may be greater among those who are older and for first-generation immigrants. Results also suggested that the impact of acculturative stress on psychological distress may be greater among men compared to women. These findings highlight the importance of making sure clinicians assess for acculturative stress when working with REM youth, as well as factors that may be contributing to the individual’s acculturative stress level.

File Format

PDF

Share

COinS