The Behavioral Health of Venezuelan Families in Diaspora: A Cross-National Study of Migration-Related Stress and Resilience

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The Behavioral Health of Venezuelan Families in Diaspora: A Cross-National Study of Migration-Related Stress and Resilience Project Summary The United Nations estimates that nearly 5 million Venezuelans have fled their home country since 2015. At present, Venezuelans are among the fastest-growing immigrant groups in the United States (US), filing two times the number of US asylum applications annually as citizens from any other country. Remarkably, almost no systematic research—excluding our formative work—has examined the wellbeing of Venezuelan families in diaspora. Findings from our cross-sectional formative research with convenience samples of Venezuelan youth and parents suggest that depression and alcohol misuse are critical challenges for this population, and that many Venezuelan crisis migrants are exposed to high levels of stress both before and after migrating. To address this critical research gap, we aim to conduct the definitive study of the Venezuelan diaspora in the US with a comparison sample in Colombia—a study that will provide knowledge vital to addressing the immediate and longer-term needs of Venezuelan crisis migrant families, and inform responses to future crises. The comparison with Venezuelans in Colombia is essential for identifying aspects of life in the US that may uniquely contribute to risk among crisis migrants, and for informing context-specific and cross-national solutions to a hemispheric crisis. Grounded in cultural stress theory, we examine how pre-migration factors and post-migration cultural stress influence family functioning and, in turn, parent and youth behavioral health outcomes (i.e., depression, alcohol misuse). We also examine how key protective factors (e.g., ethnic pride, familismo), buffer the effects of hypothesized stressors. This research project is oriented around three specific aims: [1] Identify pre- and post-migration risk and protective factors related to depression and alcohol misuse among Venezuelan crisis migrant youth and their parents, recruiting dyads in the US (n = 500) and Colombia (n = 250). [2]: Determine the mechanisms by which pre-migration factors (e.g., chronic hunger, psychosocial stress) and post-migration cultural stress impact depression and alcohol misuse among Venezuelan crisis migrants. We hypothesize that pre-migration adversity will amplify the impact of post-migration cultural stress on family functioning and, in turn, increase risk of depression and alcohol misuse among Venezuelan youth and parents. [3] Disseminate findings to accelerate efforts to support Venezuelan crisis migrant families, via bilingual reports and in-person and online workshops to help clinical and health providers to improve practice. Our team is at the forefront of Latin American crisis migrant research. Since 2017, we have interviewed 1000+ Venezuelan crisis migrants, and currently lead a study with Puerto Rican families displaced by Hurricane Maria. We have designed a study that will provide critical insight to address the needs of Venezuelan crisis migrant families immediately. Moreover, it will yield practice-relevant knowledge generalizable beyond this specific population as crisis migration is a recurring phenomenon. Our study can serve as an important case example as scientists, practitioners, and policymakers seek to understand and respond to the needs of crisis migrants.