Dr. Randy Capps, Director of Research for U.S. Programs at the Migration Policy Institute, surveyed Latinx high school students to see how fear of deportation – of their parents, relatives, friends, or themselves – impacts their mental health. The students, roughly half foreign-born and half US-born, suffered anxiety, depression, and PTSD at significantly higher rates than other students their age. Strong bonds immigrant students formed with one another were a source of mutual support. Students who engaged in public policy activism showed improved mental health.

Overview

00:00-00:44 Intros

00:44-03:44 Study of impact of immigration policies on Latinx students’ mental health; demographics; key findings

03:44-05:41 Differences in number of traumatic experiences between foreign-born and U.S. born students and potential reasons

05:41-06:49 Differences by gender

06:49-09:40 Levels of perceived discrimination

09:40-13:18 Sources and forms of student support, including educators, parents, peers

13:18-14:38 Role of school counselors

14:38-18:30 Links between discipline practices and immigration-related fears; restorative justice; roles of school resource officers

18:30-24:17 Obstacles in accessing mental health resources and ways to reduce them

24:17-26:51 Student participation in public policy advocacy and its effect on students’ mental health 

26:51-27:28 Thanks to collaborators in the study

27:28-28:45 Outro

Transcription

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Soundtrack by Podington Bear