title: Differences in Psychopathology Between Immigrant and Native Adolescents Admitted to a Psychiatric Inpatient Unit.
abstract: It has been postulated that immigrant children are at increased risk of mental health problems. This study examined differences in psychopathology between immigrant and non-immigrant adolescents admitted for the first time to a child and adolescent inpatient psychiatry unit. Participants were 234 adolescents (191 non-immigrants and 43 immigrants). There were significant differences between the two groups in relation to certain stressors: parental separation, family breakdown, being under state custody, physical and/or psychological maltreatment and sexual abuse. Differences between the main diagnoses of the two groups were found in relation to schizophrenia and anorexia nervosa. There are differences between immigrants and natives in terms of diagnosis, and these differences are influenced by ethnicity and stressors. Future studies should seek to identify protective factors in order to prevent mental health disorders in the immigrant population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, Institute of Neurosciences, Hospital Clínic Universitari, C/Villarroel nº170, 08036, Barcelona, Spain. abhinojo@clinic.ub.es.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blázquez
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, Institute of Neurosciences, Hospital Clínic Universitari, C/Villarroel nº170, 08036, Barcelona, Spain.|IDIBAPS (Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer), Barcelona, Spain.|Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.|CIBERSAM, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Josefina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Castro-Fornieles
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, Institute of Neurosciences, Hospital Clínic Universitari, C/Villarroel nº170, 08036, Barcelona, Spain.|IDIBAPS (Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer), Barcelona, Spain.|Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Inmaculada
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Baeza
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, Institute of Neurosciences, Hospital Clínic Universitari, C/Villarroel nº170, 08036, Barcelona, Spain.|IDIBAPS (Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer), Barcelona, Spain.|Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morer
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, Institute of Neurosciences, Hospital Clínic Universitari, C/Villarroel nº170, 08036, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Esteban
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, Institute of Neurosciences, Hospital Clínic Universitari, C/Villarroel nº170, 08036, Barcelona, Spain.|IDIBAPS (Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer), Barcelona, Spain.|Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.|CIBERSAM, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lázaro
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology*; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology*; D005195:Family Relations / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011599:Psychopathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Acculturation; Adolescents; Immigration; Mental health; Risk factors