Department of Clinical Psychology, Palo Alto University, Palo Alto, California, USA.
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA.
New Dir Child Adolesc Dev. 2021 Mar;2021(176):227-244. doi: 10.1002/cad.20404. Epub 2021 Apr 9.
There has been a record surge of unaccompanied immigrant minors (UAMs) entering the United States, with 86% of those apprehended at the US-Mexico border originating from the Central American countries of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. A majority of immigrant children are separated from either one or both parents at various points during the migration process. Although average separations last 4 or more years, and may be deeply distressing, there is little research on family separations among Central American UAMs. Further, little is known about the developmental impact of separations from extended family networks, or about reunification. To address these empirical gaps, this study used community-participatory qualitative methods to deeply explore the lived experiences and emotional repercussions of family separation and reunification. The sample included 42 adolescents who had all recently migrated to the Western United States from Central America. Thematic analyses revealed that separation experiences are distressing, multifaceted, and have important developmental implications for Central American UAMs. Results illustrate the socioemotional toll that family separation and reunification can have on this vulnerable population, and highlight the need for culturally responsive, developmentally informed, and contextually appropriate care focused on family reunification in order to foster healthy psychosocial adjustment among UAMs.
进入美国的无人陪伴的未成年移民（UAMs）数量创历史新高，在美国-墨西哥边境被捕的人中，86%来自萨尔瓦多、危地马拉和洪都拉斯这三个中美洲国家。大多数移民儿童在移民过程中的不同时间点与父母一方或双方分离。尽管平均分离时间为 4 年或更长时间，可能令人深感痛苦，但针对中美洲 UAMs 的家庭分离问题的研究甚少。此外，对于与大家庭网络分离的发展影响或 reunification（团聚）的了解也很少。为了解决这些实证差距，本研究采用社区参与式定性方法，深入探讨了家庭分离和 reunification 的生活经历和情绪影响。样本包括 42 名青少年，他们最近都从中美洲移民到美国西部。主题分析表明，分离经历令人痛苦，多方面，并对中美洲 UAMs 具有重要的发展意义。结果说明了家庭分离和 reunification 对这一弱势群体的社会情感影响，并强调需要关注家庭 reunification，提供文化响应、发展知情和情境适当的关怀，以促进 UAMs 的健康心理社会适应。
