Applying an Antiracist Approach to Promoting Health Equity and Psychological Well-Being in Unaccompanied Immigrant Minors

Unaccompanied immigrant minors (UIMs) are a fast-growing demographic in the United States, doubling in population since 2014.1 According to the Office of Refugee Resettlement, a UIM is someone under the age of 18 who enters the US without lawful status and an accompanying guardian.2 Most UIMs in the US originate from the Central American northern triangle (i.e., El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras), with violence, extreme poverty, and family re-unification as the top three reasons for migration.1,3 Repeated exposure to stressful and/or traumatic events at home, during migration, and upon arrival increases UIMs ’ risk for psychological distress and mental disorders.
Source: Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry - Category: Psychiatry Authors: Tags: Clinical Perspectives Source Type: research