Given our current socio-political climate, immigration is a topic that is talked about almost every day. However, there is limited discussion about how anti-immigrant policies also impact U.S. citizens, particularly mixed-status families, which are made up by family members who have different citizenship statuses. The primary goal of this study is to improve our understanding of the experiences of U.S. citizens in mixed-status families, with at least one undocumented parent, taking into consideration factors such as gender and birth order when it comes to family expectations and responsibilities. This exploratory study utilized an online survey and thematic analysis to explore the experiences of citizen children in mixed-status families. Preliminary findings suggest that having at least one undocumented parent impacts many areas of a person’s life. From professional and educational opportunities, to everyday decision making, being part of a mixed-status family as a U.S. citizen transforms people’s upbringing. Implications will allow social service providers, mental health practitioners, and educators to expand and improve resources to better support children in mixed-status families across all ages. Furthermore, this research can be used to inform legal service providers how to advise and support mixed-status families to ensure the physical and mental well-being of all family members.

Rising mental health struggles among adolescents justifies increased demand for intervention and prevention efforts. Adolescents are unlikely to seek professional support in a crisis but instead turn to social sources such as trusted adults. Providing these adults the necessary resources to offer mental health support is crucial for adolescents’ well-being. Thus, the purpose of this research is to define key components of training programs for adults who work with youth to respond to mental health struggles in adolescents and evaluate the effectiveness of current training models. Studies evaluating the effectiveness of such programs will be identified by searching common databases. Each study will be assessed on demographic information, participant support for the program, and effects on the youth workers and the youth themselves. To ensure the analysis comprehensively addresses the research issue, the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist will be followed. Upon initial evaluations, common themes across studies have already emerged. Notably, many training programs center on assisting youth only in crises and have a primary focus on identification. As more data is collected, more commonalities are likely to emerge, and important distinctions can be made regarding the effectiveness of each program and the elements that comprise them. By studying the methods, components, and outcomes of current training programs, and incorporating previous research on adolescent development, the results will guide the construction of ideal training frameworks for youth workers to respond to mental health struggles in adolescents and promote well-being and resilience within their lives.

Latine individuals are the fastest-growing racial/ethnic minority group in the United States and are projected to comprise 25 percent of the population by 2050. Despite this growth, Latine immigrants continue to experience significant health disparities, many of which are shaped by immigration-related stressors. Factors such as fear of deportation, discrimination, and post-traumatic stress symptoms may lead individuals to rely more on informal care systems, such as family and community support, over formal care services within structured healthcare systems. While informal care may be more accessible and trusted, heavy reliance on it can hinder medical interventions and worsen health inequities. This study uses survey data from 212 Latine immigrants in Nebraska who completed online questionnaires assessing mental health symptoms (PTSD and depression), fear of deportation, discrimination, insurance status, knowledge of insurance coverage for mental health, English proficiency, and preferred sources of help. Help-seeking preferences were coded as formal or informal care. Path models will test hypothesized relationships between immigration-related stressors, structural barriers, symptomology, and care preferences. Although data analysis is ongoing, anticipated results suggest that greater immigration-related stress will be associated with a stronger preference for informal care, while more severe psychological symptoms may predict a preference for formal care. Additionally, structural barriers such as language and insurance coverage are expected to moderate these relationships. Findings will have important implications for tailoring mental health interventions to address both systemic barriers and cultural preferences, ultimately improving access and equity in mental healthcare for Latine immigrant populations.

Purpose: Considerable research identifies early environmental stressors as predictive of later academic achievement. However, few studies examine how socioeconomic status (SES) influences later academic achievement while considering mediating pathways. Generally higher-SES is associated with higher academic achievement, while lower-SES is linked to poorer achievement. This project examines the degree to which executive control (EC) mediates associations between early environmental stressors and later academic achievement, investigating differences by family SES. Methods: Data are from a longitudinal study spanning preschool and adolescence. For this analysis, data are included from preschool (first, last measurements) and the first measurement of adolescent participation. During preschool, over half of families reported finances below the federal poverty line. Preschool environmental stressors, consisting of financial stress and resources, were measured by caregiver-report and home observation. EC was measured from a performance-based task battery at the last preschool measurement. Academic achievement was measured by caregiver-report of adolescent grades. Moderated mediation analyses using longitudinal structural equation modeling is planned to examine associations between early contextual factors, EC, and later academic achievement. Full Information Maximum Likelihood will be used to handle missing data, following best practices. Anticipated Results: We predict that EC will significantly mediate the association between early environmental stressors and later academic achievement. The degree to which this association is observed will be informed by preschool SES, such that children from higher-SES backgrounds will have stronger academic achievement, partially explained by better EC. Children from lower-SES backgrounds are expected to have poorer academic achievement via lower EC.