Investigator: Robert Hasson, Providence College 
Mentor: Thomas Crea, Boston College

Theme: Neuroscience
Title: Mental health and the environment for unaccompanied children in the United States
Award: Early Career Development (2022-2024)

Abstract: The proposed study examines mental health outcomes for unaccompanied children, a growing population of uniquely vulnerable immigrants who are resettled in the United States (US). The proposed study will focus on how environmental factors, including family structure and community contexts, moderate mental health outcomes for unaccompanied children in the US. Mental health impacts the ways children navigate family contexts, school environments, medical services, and peer relationships. However, much less is known about the relationship between mental health and family, school, and community contexts for immigrant children, though this area of research is growing. This is an especially important area of research because unaccompanied children are a growing population in the US, and immigrants must navigate integration processes that may be complicated by mental health symptoms.

The proposed study seeks to clarify how mental health outcomes inform the integration of unaccompanied children in the US, and how this relationship is moderated by environmental factors. Using an explanatory mixed-methods design and informed by social-ecological theory, in Aim 1 we will assess and measure the mental health of unaccompanied children using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), which is a widely used standardized mental health measure. This aim builds on an existing research partnership with Heartland Alliance, a national non-profit organization that provides technical support for vulnerable immigrants in the US. The study will recruit unaccompanied children who are receiving Post-Release Services (PRS), which are community-based case management services that connect unaccompanied children with legal, health, and education supports. Mental health will be measured at day 14 of receiving PRS, at day 90, and then again at 6 months after starting PRS. The study will recruit unaccompanied children from twelve different resettlement states for an anticipated sample size of n=500. In Aim 2, we will conduct in-depth interviews with a sub-sample of unaccompanied children (n=40) residing in Rhode Island, New York, Texas, and California to assess the mental health and integration experiences of unaccompanied children using qualitative methods. The proposed study will inform the development of a mental health measure that aligns with the unique cultural experiences of unaccompanied children who arrive to the US.

Relevance: Increasing numbers of unaccompanied children are migrating to the United States (US), however, little is known about their mental health outcomes or how mental health impacts the integration of unaccompanied children in the US. In addition, existing mental health measures may not accurately assess symptoms unaccompanied children exhibit. This project will inform the development of culturally-informed mental health assessments for vulnerable immigrants in the US.