2025/06/21 by Adel, Addiba, Adeboye, Ini, Paltzat, Kaitlyn +8
#Community Engagement #Ethnic Minority #Immigrant #Inclusive #Newcomer #Participatory #Power Informed #Racialized #Transdisciplinary #Visible Minority
paper · doi:10.11575/prism/49367
Introduction: Immigrant and refugee youth comprise one of the largest growing groups in Canada. Studies have shown that immigrant and refugee youth are especially vulnerable to psychosocial problems and deal with unmet health needs. However, the unique health challenges immigrant and refugee youth face remain largely understudied. This study aimed to better understand the social and cultural factors that impact the mental health of immigrant youths. Methods: We conducted 3 semi-structured focus group discussions with 15 high school immigrant youths (14-18 years old, 9 female and 6 male), of African, Asian, and Middle Eastern ethnicities. All participants were part of the Refugee and Immigrant Self-Empowerment (RISE) for Health and Wellness, a community youth engagement for health promotion program in Calgary. Deductive thematic analysis was performed. We used NVivo Software for the analysis process. Results: The participants’ mental health was primarily affected by external stressors of cultural stigma, parental expectations, and a lack of mental health knowledge. Parental pressure was a significant factor in impacting mental health due to cultural and intergenerational differences. Parental tactics such as comparing hardships were common inhibitors of healthy discussions on mental health. Conclusion: The feedback from the focus groups revealed the sociocultural factors that contribute to the mental health challenges of immigrant youth. Health promotion initiatives like RISE for Health are necessary to encourage conversations to help destigmatize mental health. While helpful in determining some situational factors, future focus groups should consider additional facets that could influence mental health.