El camino es duro: A Binational Analysis of Multistage Migration and the Prevalence of Depression

The effects of migration are vast in both the sending and receiving countries. The socio-demographic, economic and political effects have been vastly documented in the literature. Most studies of Mexican-origin migration focus... [ view full abstract ]

The effects of migration are vast in both the sending and receiving countries. The socio-demographic, economic and political effects have been vastly documented in the literature. Most studies of Mexican-origin migration focus on the women who have remained in Mexico, while little emphasis has been placed on the individuals who actually migrate. Few publications are studies about the effects of migration on the mental health of immigrants. Existing literature, although limited, notes the increased risk for anxiety and mood disorders for immigrants. To this end, these binational research projects have sought to unravel the profound effects of migration and its impact on the depression rates in both migrant girls and migrant men of Mexican origin in California’s central valley. Through a mixed methodology, researchers have tried to capture the complexities of depressive symptoms as perceived and reported by participants.

The first study, grounded in a gender focused multistage migration framework explores Mexican origin adolescent girls experiences during the migratory cycle, rates of depression, pregnancy, and access to health care comparing these outcomes with Mexican adolescent girls who do not migrate from Mexico to the U.S.
The second study, investigates the impact of migration on the mental health of men by assessing their levels of depression and anxiety. This research project also seeks to understand the psychological resources men employ to cope with their distress and the extent to which immigrant men are aware of the impact of their departure on the women and children left behind. Rooted in social justice this study investigates the construction of masculinity, family loyalty, and the pursuit of the "American Dream" in the lives of long term immigrant men.

Drawing from ethnographic research in the Central Valley and in Northern California, the third and fourth study build on Anzaldúa’s conceptualization of “borderlands” and on the concept of “political mothering” to analyze how school board members acted as gatekeepers controlling access to educational opportunities and entitlements. The gender analysis reveals that structural conditions—the demographics of the school boards, school funding policies, the migrant community structure, and immigration policies —combine with gendered processes in the family and in the home to shape women’s participation in their children’s educational life.

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