Migration and Memory

Research is showing that Latinx individuals may be at an elevated risk for mental health issues; recent work has found that Latinx individuals with mental health issues are less likely to receive mental health care compared to the US average.  One important factor to consider is the way in which intergenerational narratives are shared and collected in families.  In particular, the ways in which families collectively narrate their stories of migration and overcoming diversity may influence how subsequent generations adapt to stress.  Given the importance of family in Latinx communities and the subsequent potential for employing family-centered interventions to improve resilience and overall mental health, this research proposes to examine the impact of knowledge of one’s family history on well-being in Latinx families with at least two generations of family members residing in the United States.

Faculty Involved: Adam Brown (NSSR), Alexandra Délano Alonso (Lang), Bill Hirst (NSSR), Selena Kimball (Parsons), Miriam Steele (NSSR), Sara Romero (NSSR)