Berandaadolescence in girls ~ How Can I Not Change Myself Just to Fit in? : For immigrant girls of color, their status as immigrants and the major changes they experience as a result of immigration further complicate and intensify the challenges they face as adolescent girls in American society. In addition to the newness of their physical surroundings, adolescent immigrant girls are psychologically at risk from a myriad of factors: loss and loneliness resulting from a lack of shared experiences with peers; strain and fatigue from their efforts to adapt and cope; feelings of rejection from a new culture that may affect self-esteem; confusion in terms of role expectations, values, and identity; and a sense of impotency from their inability to function as effectively in the new culture as in their home culture.
Although immigration presents challenges for people of all ages, adolescents face the particular challenge of having lost peers and a familiar culture that would have served and assisted them in their identity development. The stress brought about by their attempts to assimilate into a new culture can result in relatively more psychological and social problems, including disordered eating, lower self-esteem, and higher depression. Increased parent-child conflicts can result from the fact that children and adolescents learn the language of their new culture more quickly and often adapt to the new culture at a much faster rate than their parents. In many cases, their resulting emerging identities are at odds with the traditions and rituals of their native culture. Generational conflicts about sex roles, peer relations with the other sex, dating, and marriage may occur within immigrant families. In addition, parental loss of power and the parent's inability to function as effectively in the new society may leave adolescents feeling unsafe and unable to rely on their parents for protection.
What then is working for these immigrant girls of color? What factors foster their ability to adapt to the particular changes brought about by immigration and their development as adolescent girls? Just as immigrant girls confront the same barriers as all racial and ethnic minorities, namely racism and discrimination, the solutions to their difficulties are very similar. In many cases, strong families able to convey warmth, affection, emotional support, and clear-cut, reasonable structure and limits are able to minimize the negative impact of the stress associated with immigration. Strong adherence to traditional family values, a strong commitment to a work ethic, and a high degree of involvement in the ethnic community can serve as protective factors for immigrant adolescent girls. Indeed, the most successful family strategy seems to be maintaining a close connection to the family's cultural roots and strong family relationships.
In addition, for some groups, English language proficiency has been shown to enhance self-esteem and to lower depression, thereby reducing stress levels associated with immigrant status. The availability of community resources and ethnic social support networks are also key factors in developing positive coping mechanisms for immigrant adolescents and their families.
Research Agenda: Immigrant Adolescent Girls of Color
- What is healthy functioning for immigrant adolescent girls of color? Is there any agreement between parents and other involved adults (e.g., school personnel)? Is this negotiable?
- What resilience factors, effective adaptation strategies, and coping mechanisms work for adolescent girls of color and their families?
- What are the particular psychological risks for adolescent girls of color, especially related to trauma?
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