Monitor on Psychology - October 2011 - (Page 34)

I mmigrants are an increasingly large and diverse group in the United States, making up 12.5 percent of the population and representing a tremendous diversity of language, culture, religion, socioeconomic status and life experience (see box). But their challenges are enormous: Not only must they adjust to a new culture and language as well as overcome discrimination here, many come to this country after having experienced multiple traumas, such as war and other forms of violence in their countries of origin. As a result, immigrants and their children can benefit greatly from appropriate psychological insight and assistance, said members of the APA Presidential Task Force on Immigration, which will release its report in February. At an APA 2011 Annual Convention symposium, task force members discussed their findings, which suggest ways to improve interventions, research and other work on behalf of immigrants. With the current economic downturn, it’s an especially important time to help immigrants, said task force chair Carola Suarez-Orozco, PhD, of New York University. “As in other times in our nation’s history, today’s recession is a catalyst for making immigration a divisive social and political issue,” she said. As Americans seek scapegoats for job loss, for example, “immigrants have become the target of xenophobic media coverage, hate crimes and exclusionary political legislation.” Clinical issues What may surprise many psychologists is that despite their many challenges, most immigrants adapt well to their new circumstances, said task force member Nadine Nakamura, PhD, of the University of La Verne in California. However, clinicians should watch for three external forces that can undermine immigrants’ mental well-being: acculturative stress, trauma and discrimination, she said. Acculturative stress is the result of the complex challenge of navigating two cultures and figuring out how best to live within each one — a balancing act that often erupts in conflicts between men and women and between generations. A common point of tension is between parents and children who are adapting rapidly to the American culture, Nakamura said. “Parents may feel that their children are becoming too American too fast, and children may feel their parents don’t understand them.” Trauma — in the home country, on the journey over and in the United States itself — can also leave immigrants vulnerable and in need of services, Nakamura said. People often leave their home countries because of wars, natural disasters and religious or ideological persecution, for instance. In the United States, children may see parents detained by immigration and customs enforcement, or removed from their work place or home, she said. Immigrants may also, of course, be targets of discrimination, sending the message that they are not welcome in their new home, which can lead to depression and anxiety. Research — including that by task force member Michael Zarate, PhD, of the University of Texas at El Paso, and his students, for example — shows that prejudice toward and fear of immigrants is alive and well, in particular toward immigrants of color. Researchers have also shown that people would be willing to make policy decisions based on those fears — for example, being less willing to admit immigrants of color than white immigrants. When immigrants perceive such prejudice, data show they’re less likely to use mental health services, Nakamura noted. And if they do try to access care, they often face barriers — an issue psychology and related fields must address, she said. Often, there is a shortage of culturally sensitive services and workers, but barriers to care also include practical problems such as difficulty finding transportation or child care and communication problems — not just language differences, but cultural nuances that a clinician might not recognize, Nakamura said. Psychologists should be especially alert to the needs of the MONITOR ON PSYCHOLOGY • OCTOBER 2011 Surprising immigration facts According to data compiled by the APA Presidential Task Force on Immigration: • 460 languages are spoken in the United States, and children attending New York City public schools alone speak a total of 150 languages. • 23 percent of U.S. children are children of immigrants, and by 2020, it is expected to be one in three. • 62 percent of our country’s immigrants speak Spanish. • Catholicism is the main religion of new immigrants, but a growing number of people represent evangelical Christian religions and non-Judeo-Christian religions, such as Islam and Sikhism. • Nearly a quarter of all American physicians and science and engineering workers are foreign born, as are 47 percent of all PhD-level scientists. • The No. 1 reason people come to the United States is to reunite with family members. Other top reasons include search for work, escape from violence and war in one’s home country, and environmental disasters. • 25 million people have been displaced internationally by environmental catastrophes. The United Nations Development Programme predicts that by 2050, that number will be closer to 200 million. —T. DeANGELIS 34

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Monitor on Psychology - October 2011

Monitor on Psychology - October 2011
President’s Column
Subtle and stunning slights
Contents
From the CEO
Live science on the showroom floor
Zimbardo re-examines his landmark study
Ready, set, mentor
Attention students and ECPs: Self-care is an ‘ethical imperative’
Suicide risk is high among war veterans in college, study finds
Psychotherapy is effective and here’s why
From toilet to tap: getting people to drink recycled water
What’s ahead for psychology practice?
A push for more accountability is changing the accreditation process
Peer, parental support prove key to fighting childhood obesity
Popular media’s message to girls
Bullying may contribute to lower test scores
A consequence of cuckoldry: More (and better) sex?
Manatees’ exquisite sense of touch may lead them into dangerous waters
Building a better tomato
How will China’s only children care for their aging parents?
‘Spice’ and ‘K2’: New drugs of abuse now on the market
Many suspects don’t understand their right to remain silent
In Brief
Boosting minority achievement
Where’s the progress?
And social justice for all
Helping new Americans find their way
Segregation’s ongoing legacy
A new way to combat prejudice
Retraining the biased brain
Suppressing the ‘white bears’
How to eat better — mindlessly
Protect your aging brain
Must babies always breed marital discontent?
Outing addiction
Flourish 2051
The danger of stimulants
Keys to making integrated care work
Is technology ruining our kids?
Facebook: Friend or foe?
The promise of Web 3.0
NIMH invests in IT enhanced interventions
Science Directions
Science Directions
PsycAdvocates work to safeguard key programs
The psychology of spending cuts
APA’s strategic plan goes live
Visionary leaders
Bravo!
Vote on bylaws amendments

Monitor on Psychology - October 2011

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