Trauma and psychological distress in Latino citizen children following parental detention and deportation
Abstract
The mental health impact of parental detention and deportation on citizen children is a topic of increasing concern. Forced parent-child separation and parental loss are potentially traumatic events (PTEs) with adverse effects on children's mental health. Objective This study examines posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and psychological distress among 91 Latino U.S.-born children (ages 6 to 12), living in mixed-status families with a least 1 undocumented parent at risk for detention or deportation. Method Multiagent (child, parent, teacher, clinician) and standardized assessments were conducted at baseline to assess for child trauma and psychological distress. Results Analyses indicate that PTSD symptoms as reported by parent were significantly higher for children of detained and deported parents compared to citizen children whose parents were either legal permanent residents or undocumented without prior contact with immigration enforcement. Similarly, findings revealed differences in child internalizing problems associated with parental detention and deportation as reported by parent as well as differences in overall child functioning as reported by clinician. In addition, teachers reported higher externalizing for children with more exposure to PTEs. Conclusions These findings lend support to a reconsideration and revision of immigration enforcement practices to take into consideration the best interest of Latino citizen children. Trauma-informed assessments and…
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A different 2016 study found that children whose parents had been detained or deported experienced significantly more potentially traumatic events than children whose parents were legal permanent residents.
“The study utilized the UCLA Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Reaction Index and found that children whose parents had been detained or deported experienced significantly more potentially traumatic events than children whose parents were legal permanent residents (43).”
From Deported Men's and Father's Perspective: The Impacts of Family Separation on Children and Families in the U.S. (2020) · cites this paper as [43]
Deportation events can be similarly traumatic to children as parental incarceration.
“Moreover, a growing body of research shows that Adverse Childhood Events, which include justice-system contact or parental incarceration before the age of 18, are associated with poor physical and mental health outcomes in adulthood (68) and other studies suggest that deportation events can be similarly traumatic to children (39, 43).”
From Deported Men's and Father's Perspective: The Impacts of Family Separation on Children and Families in the U.S. (2020) · cites this paper as [43]
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References 33 · Cited by 206
- Authors
- Rojas-Flores, L., Clements, M. L., Hwang Koo, J., & London, J.
- Affiliations
- Fuller Theological Seminary (US)
- Venue
- Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy
- Published
- 2017-05
- Volume
- 9
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 352-361
- ISSN
- 1942-9681 (ISSN-L)
- 1942-969X
- OpenAlex
- W2511387977
- Cited by
- 206
- References
- 33
- Citations by year
- 2026: 14 · 2025: 20 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 28 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 26 · 2020: 35 · 2019: 25 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 1
- FWCI
- 18.27
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychological Trauma Theory Research Practice and Policy (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Foundation for Child Development
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Migration, Health and Trauma
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
- Keywords
- deportation, Latino children, post-traumatic stress disorder, psychological distress, mixed-status families, immigration enforcement, parent-child separation, internalizing problems, externalizing problems, trauma-informed practice, child mental health
- MeSH terms
- Psychological Trauma, Undocumented Immigrants, Child, Emigration and Immigration, Female, Hispanic or Latino, Humans, Male, Parents, Stress, Psychological
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