title: Coming of Age on the Margins: Mental Health and Wellbeing Among Latino Immigrant Young Adults Eligible for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).
abstract: Undocumented immigrant young adults growing up in the United States face significant challenges. For those qualified, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program's protections may alleviate stressors, with implications for their mental health and wellbeing (MHWB). We conducted nine focus groups with 61 DACA-eligible Latinos (ages 18-31) in California to investigate their health needs. Participants reported MHWB as their greatest health concern and viewed DACA as beneficial through increasing access to opportunities and promoting belonging and peer support. Participants found that DACA also introduced unanticipated challenges, including greater adult responsibilities and a new precarious identity. Thus, immigration policies such as DACA may influence undocumented young adults' MHWB in expected and unexpected ways. Research into the impacts of policy changes on young immigrants' MHWB can guide stakeholders to better address this population's health needs. MHWB implications include the need to reduce fear of deportation and increase access to services.
authors: University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.|University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.|Joint Medical Program, UC Berkeley School of Public Health, Berkeley, CA, USA.
authors: Rachel
authors: R
authors: Siemons
authors: Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, Division of Adolescent & Young Adult Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, 3333 California Street, Suite 265, San Francisco, CA, 94118, USA.
authors: Marissa
authors: M
authors: Raymond-Flesch
authors: University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.|University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.|Joint Medical Program, UC Berkeley School of Public Health, Berkeley, CA, USA.
authors: Colette L
authors: CL
authors: Auerswald
authors: Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, Division of Adolescent & Young Adult Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, 3333 California Street, Suite 265, San Francisco, CA, 94118, USA. Claire.Brindis@ucsf.edu.
authors: Claire D
authors: CD
authors: Brindis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002140:California; D005195:Family Relations / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D057766:Policy; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D012649:Self Concept; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D000069756:Undocumented Immigrants / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA); Immigrants; Mental health; Qualitative research; Undocumented; Well-being Latino; Young adults