NeMoyer Amanda, Rodriguez Trinidad, Alvarez Kiara
Disparities Research Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School.
Disparities Research Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital.
Transl Issues Psychol Sci. 2019 Mar;5(1):4-16. doi: 10.1037/tps0000175.
Among youth who migrate to the United States from Latin America, unaccompanied immigrant minors (UIMs)-traveling without a parent or caregiver-are a unique subpopulation facing substantial challenges before, during, and after migration. UIMs often migrate as a result of traumatic experiences in their home countries, but are also vulnerable to experiencing trauma pre and post-migration. These experiences are compounded by the impact of prolonged separation from caregivers who migrated earlier (pre-migration) and caregivers who were left behind (post-migration). Once in the US, UIMs are typically considered undocumented and often do not have the legal representation necessary to successfully navigate immigration proceedings in a system designed for adults. Further, they often live in areas with increased rates of poverty and community violence and can face stigmatization and exclusion from important protective activities. UIMs are therefore at risk for psychological distress, including depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress. This article provides an overview of typical experiences for UIMs, discusses the accompanying legal and clinical implications, and offers recommendations for psychological practice at the level of providers, training programs, and child-serving systems. For example, providers might incorporate family-based and trauma-focused interventions to enhance resilience and psychological well-being, in addition to support in navigating interactions with the legal system. Clinical training programs can provide education about the experiences of UIMs, while clinicians can advocate at the systems level to promote social integration of UIMs into school systems and a more humane immigration system focused on meeting the needs of these vulnerable children.
在从拉丁美洲移民到美国的年轻人中，无人陪伴的移民未成年人（UIMs）——即没有父母或照顾者陪伴旅行的未成年人——是一个独特的亚群体，在移民前、移民中和移民后面临着诸多重大挑战。UIMs移民往往是由于他们在原籍国经历了创伤性事件，但在移民前后也容易遭受创伤。这些经历因与较早移民的照顾者（移民前）以及留在原籍国的照顾者（移民后）长期分离的影响而更加复杂。一旦抵达美国，UIMs通常被视为无证移民，而且在一个为成年人设计的系统中，他们往往没有成功应对移民程序所需的法律代表。此外，他们通常生活在贫困率和社区暴力发生率较高的地区，可能会面临污名化以及被重要保护活动排斥的情况。因此，UIMs有出现心理困扰的风险，包括抑郁、焦虑和创伤后应激障碍。本文概述了UIMs的典型经历，讨论了随之而来的法律和临床问题，并针对提供者、培训项目和儿童服务系统层面的心理实践提出了建议。例如，除了在与法律系统互动方面提供支持外，提供者可能会采用基于家庭和以创伤为重点的干预措施来增强恢复力和心理健康。临床培训项目可以提供关于UIMs经历的教育，而临床医生可以在系统层面进行倡导，以促进UIMs融入学校系统以及推动建立一个更人性化的移民系统，该系统侧重于满足这些弱势儿童的需求。
