The Immigrant Paradox in the Problem Behaviors of Youth in the United States: A Meta‐analysis. Issue 2 (2nd February 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tilley, Jacqueline L.; Huey, Stanley J.; Farver, JoAnn M.; Lai, Mark H.C.; Wang, Crystal X.
• Is Part Of: Child development. Volume 92:Issue 2(2021)
• Page Start: 502
• Page End: 516
• Publication Date: 2021-02-02
• Subjects: Child development -- Periodicals; Child psychology -- Periodicals; Child Development -- Periodicals; Child Development; Pediatrics -- Periodicals; Pedicatrics; 305.231
• DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13542
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0009-3920

Abstract

Abstract : This meta‐analysis synthesizes the empirical data on problem behaviors among foreign‐ (G1) and U.S‐born (G2+) youth and explores the effects of immigrant status on youth internalizing and externalizing problems. A random effects meta‐regression with robust variance estimates summarized effect sizes for internalizing and externalizing problems across 91 studies ( N = 179, 315, M age = 13.98). Results indicated that G1 youth reported significantly more internalizing problems ( g = .06), and fewer externalizing problems than G2+ youth ( g = −.06). Gender and sample type moderated the effects. The findings provide a first‐step toward reconciling mixed support for the immigrant paradox by identifying for whom and under what conditions the immigrant experience serves as a risk or protective factor for youth.