# Immigration Policy Enforcement and Latinx Adolescent Mental Health

> **NIH NIH R36** · EMORY UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $44,103

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Latinx adolescents face significant mental health disparities including high levels of depressive symptoms
(34%), suicide ideation (14%), and attempted suicide (8%). State immigration policy climate and immigration
enforcement raises serious public health concerns regarding Latinx adolescents' mental health. We explore the
potential role of collective efficacy and connectedness to reduce depression and suicidal ideation related to
anti-immigrant climate and immigration policy enforcement among Latinx adolescents. We propose a
convergent mixed methods design with three aims: 1) Applying a difference-in-difference estimation technique
within an SEM framework, and using data from the Fragile Families and Family Wellbeing Study, examine if
connectedness and collective efficacy mediate the relationship of immigration policy climate and enforcement
to depression and suicidal ideation, 2) Using photovoice, an YPAR method, explore adolescents' perspectives
and experiences of the immigration policy climate and enforcement and its relationship to depression and
suicidal ideation, and 3) we will explore adolescent perceptions and experiences of connectedness and
collective efficacy in the YPAR process, using qualitative in-depth interviews with YPAR participants. These
formative, qualitative data will serve to inform future development of YPAR as a potential community-level
intervention that integrates strategies to build on connectedness, collective efficacy, and additional emergent
social cognitive factors as targeted mechanisms of change. This mixed-method approach balances the
generalizability of national estimates with contextualized adolescent perspectives to understand relevant
structural factors and mechanisms that impact Latinx adolescent mental health and identify potential
intervention strategies to promote mental health equity. These aims are expected to 1) Address gap in
knowledge of social cognitive mechanisms that link structural environment factors and Latinx adolescent
depression and suicidal ideation nationally and in context; 2) Better understanding of YPAR processes that can
target social cognitive mechanisms that can be included in future interventions to reduce the burden of
adolescent depression and suicidal ideation.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10312825
- **Project number:** 1R36MH127827-01
- **Recipient organization:** EMORY UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Emily Lemon
- **Activity code:** R36 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $44,103
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-06-01 → 2023-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10312825

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10312825, Immigration Policy Enforcement and Latinx Adolescent Mental Health (1R36MH127827-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10312825. Licensed CC0.

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