Effects of Acculturation and Ethnic Identity on Immigrant Adolescents’ Mental Health

Abstract

In today's world, the main problem affecting all humanity, especially children and adolescents, is the phenomenon of migration. In acculturation due to migration, the influence of dominant culture and ethnic identities on each other is discussed. Acculturation changes ethnic identities; acculturation stress experienced in this change affects adolescent mental health. In recent years, the effects of acculturation strategies preferred by majority and minority cultures on mental health and psychological well-being have been evaluated from a broad perspective. In this study, the relationships between acculturation, ethnic identity, and mental health are examined comprehensively, the literature on adolescent mental health findings is evaluated comparatively, and various suggestions are made for possible results. No systematic review study on this subject was found in the national and international literature. Early studies, in particular, found a positive relationship between adolescents' ability to identify with the dominant culture and mental health. However, today, the characteristics of the immigrant and the dominant culture are considered two-dimensionally, and it turns out that maintaining adaptation to both cultures positively affects mental health. In addition, the effectiveness of psychiatric interventions leads adoption of the society of immigrant/refugee adolescents is discussed in detail. More studies are needed to determine which acculturation processes positively affect adolescents' mental health.