This study examined how cultural stress mediates the relationship between ethnic identity and mental health distress among Puerto Rican parent-youth dyads who migrated to the mainland United States after Hurricane Maria. We used a longitudinal actor-partner interdependence mediation model to test direct and indirect effects between ethnic identity (Wave 1), cultural stress (Wave 2), and mental health (Wave 3). Given our small sample, we used factor scores instead of latent variables to summarize observed constructs, reducing model complexity and conserving statistical power. Factor scores were derived using factor analysis on depressive symptoms, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder to represent the latent mental health construct. These scores served as input in our actor-partner interdependence mediation model. Results showed significant actor effects: Youth ethnic identity predicted their own cultural stress, and cultural stress predicted mental health distress for both youth and parents. Partner effects revealed that youth cultural stress was associated with parents' mental health. Mediation analyses revealed two significant indirect effects: (a) Youth ethnic identity was associated with parent mental health through youth cultural stress, and (b) youth ethnic identity was associated with their own mental health through youth cultural stress. Findings underscore the importance of youth experiences in shaping family mental health outcomes in the context of cultural stress and postdisaster migration.

In the United States, the frequency and severity of climate-related disasters continue to rise, leading to increased displacement of individuals and families. Those forcibly displaced often face heightened uncertainty, vulnerability to mental and cultural stressors, and economic insecurity. Economic mobility during and after resettlement may, to some extent, be a function of migrant adaptation, mental health, and psychological functioning. However, the underlying mechanisms linking these factors remain poorly understood among climate crisis migrants, many of whom, despite pre- and post-migration adversity, achieve upward economic mobility in their new environments. To explore this issue, we estimated a longitudinal structural equation model, using five waves of data from 319 adult Puerto Rican migrants displaced to the U.S. mainland by Hurricane Maria. We examined the predictive effect of post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) on economic mobility, as well as the mediating roles of optimism/pessimism, cultural stressors, and internalizing symptoms in this predictive association. We found that PTSS was significantly and positively associated with economic mobility over time, but this relationship was associated exclusively through components of optimism (specifically, coping with uncertainty). No significant associations were observed through other components of optimism/pessimism, cultural stress, or internalizing symptoms.

Pre-migration crisis exposures and post-migration cultural stressors predict mental health symptoms among Venezuelan migrant youth. However, less is known about the independent and interactive effects of pre- and post-migration stressors on multiple mental health symptoms and whether these associations vary across specific types of cultural stressors among Venezuelan youth. Importantly, few studies have examined how these associations are patterned across two major destinations for Venezuelan migrants-the United States (US) and Colombia. The present study was designed to examine how pre-migration crisis exposures and post-migration cultural stressors (acculturative stress, discrimination, and negative context of reception) independently and interactively predict depressive, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among Venezuelan youth resettling in the US and Colombia. The sample included 732 Venezuelan youth: 302 in the US (51% girls; Mage = 14.03, SD = 1.69) and 430 in Colombia (49.4% girls; Mage = 14.04, SD = 1.62). Pre-migration crisis exposures did not predict any of the mental health symptoms in either country. Discrimination positively predicted depressive and anxiety symptoms in the US, whereas acculturative stress positively predicted depressive and anxiety symptoms in Colombia. Significant interaction effects emerged in both countries, such that pre-migration crisis exposures buffered the associations of post-migration cultural stressors with mental health symptoms. Specifically, in the US, pre-migration crisis exposure moderated the association between discrimination and PTSD symptoms, whereas in Colombia, it moderated the association between acculturative stress and depressive symptoms. Findings underscore the need to account for the types of cultural stressors and symptom dimensions across different destination contexts among Venezuelan youth.

This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the adapted Spanish version of the Hurricane-Related Traumatic Experiences (HURTE) scale among Puerto Rican adults (N = 312) who relocated to the U.S. mainland after Hurricane Maria. Using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Item Response Theory (IRT), the study assessed the scale's reliability, validity, factor structure, and item characteristics. EFA revealed a two-factor structure aligning with the original HURTE scale but with variations in item-factor constellations. Factors reflected the physical impact of the hurricane and emotional/interpersonal impacts of hurricane-related experiences. IRT analyses showed the scale includes items of varying difficulty, allowing for a nuanced assessment of trauma severity. Differential item functioning (DIF) analyses across age and education found no significant DIF, but three items showed DIF by gender. This preliminary validation of the Spanish-language HURTE scale is essential for assessing hurricane-related traumatic experiences among Spanish-speaking adults, particularly in the context of increasing natural disasters. The findings contribute to understanding the scale's psychometric properties, paving the way for future research and applications in disaster-related contexts involving non-English-speaking populations, especially in hurricane-prone regions. The study emphasizes the importance of validating measures tailored to diverse linguistic and cultural groups to improve assessment accuracy after natural disasters.

Crisis migration research has advanced our understanding by highlighting the importance of a comprehensive perspective and consideration of experiences across the migration life course. However, one shortcoming is that the paradigm's focus on acute stress and trauma in the pre- and postmigration contexts often overlooks the more quotidian challenges of adjusting to a new social, cultural, and environmental context. Drawing from a sample of Venezuelan crisis migrants resettled in distinct contexts within Colombia and Florida (United States), the present study aimed to examine the sociocultural adjustment of Venezuelan crisis migrants, with particular attention to potential cross-national and contextual-level differences. Surveyed in 2023-2024, the sample includes 1,243 adults who had emigrated from Venezuela since 2015 and currently reside in Colombia (n = 568) or Florida (n = 675). Venezuelans who relocated to Florida reported higher levels of sociocultural adjustment than those who migrated to Colombia, reflecting overall easier adjustment in Florida. Sociocultural adjustment was robustly and negatively associated with depressive symptoms, even when controlling for key migration-related stressors. We also found that sociocultural adjustment and migration-related stressors interact in their relationship to depressive symptoms, such that pre- and postmigration stressors are less connected to depressive symptoms among individuals who find their sociocultural environment relatively easy to adjust to. The findings contribute to crisis migration research by shedding light on how sociocultural adaptation varies significantly by receiving site and how it is associated with mental health, above and beyond the effects of key migration-related stressors. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

Objective: There is a critical need for reliable measures that capture the diverse experiences of perceived racism-based police violence (RPV) exposure among Black and Latinx emerging adults (ages 18-29), who are particularly vulnerable to its psychological and social effects. This study aims to modify and validate the RPV exposure scales from the Modified-Classes of Racism Frequency of Racial Experiences measure to ensure their accuracy in reflecting the unique experiences of these populations. Method: We conducted cognitive interviews with 50 Black and Latinx emerging adults to refine the clarity and accuracy of the RPV items. The revised scales were tested with a sample of Black (n=450) and Latinx (n=459) emerging adults across the United States and analyzed using confirmatory factor analyses and simple linear regression. Results: Findings confirm that the RPV scales are valid and reliable, demonstrating strong internal consistency with Cronbach's alpha values of 0.90 or higher and a robust factor structure supported by confirmatory factor analysis. Conclusion: The scales' significant associations with psychological distress among study participants highlight their utility in assessing RPV exposure and its mental health impacts, providing a solid foundation for future research on long-term effects and informing targeted social work interventions.

Objective:Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico in September 2017, leaving the Island with significant damage and forcing many to leave. In the present study, we examined motivations for leaving Puerto Rico among "Maria migrants" to the United States using qualitative methodologies. Participants were recruited in collaboration with community organizations in Central Florida that serve the Puerto Rican community. Methods:A total of 120 parent-child dyads (N= 60 parents, N=60 youth) were recruited and given an online survey. Within this survey, an open-ended question was given to parents and youth to describe why they decided to leave. From the 120 participants, 20 dyads (N=20 parents, N=20 youth) were interviewed and asked about this decision and their experiences before and after the hurricane. Results:From the open-ended survey question, we found that employment (N=28), better quality of life (N=21) and repercussions from Hurricane Maria (N=22) were key reasons for migration among parents. For youth, repercussions from Hurricane Maria (N=27), better quality of life (N=12), parental employment (N=8) and parental decision (N=16) were reported as reasons for migration. From the in-depth qualitative interviews, we found that, although the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria served as an important push factor, the hurricane itself did not appear to be the primary underlying reason for migration-rather, it was often the "last straw." Conclusion:Study findings challenge two common assumptions: that disaster events are best understood as singular or predominant impetuses for leaving, and that most crisis migrants do not seriously consider relocating prior to disaster.

ObjectiveHurricane Maria and the subsequent large-scale relocation of Puerto Ricans to the United States mainland exemplify how severe weather events and population displacement affect the health of storm survivors. Our team has led several projects with this population, including Adelante Boricua, a longitudinal cohort study examining the interplay among severe weather events, displacement, resettlement, and mental health among relocated Hurricane Maria survivors. Drawing on 25 published studies over nearly a decade, this mini-review provides an overview of what our research team has learned from our work with this population.MethodWe distill several years of our team’s research and numerous scholarly articles into three major findings, considering the key policy and practice implications of each.ResultsMajor Adelante Boricua findings are presented, including evidence that for many displaced Puerto Ricans, posttraumatic stress represents a persistent, long-term challenge. We also found that, in terms of mental health, it is critical we consider both hurricane trauma and resettlement experiences. Additionally, many Puerto Ricans who relocated after Hurricane Maria reported having seriously considered leaving Puerto Rico long before the disaster struck.ConclusionGiven Puerto Rico’s unique status and history, we should exercise caution when generalizing findings from relocated Hurricane Maria survivors to other displaced populations within the United States and beyond. That said, much has been learned from the experiences of Hurricane Maria survivors who relocated, and we hope that health professionals, scientists, community leaders, and policymakers can leverage key insights from our research in preparation for future displacement crises.

Background: Unhoused young adults aged 18–24 years are at increased risk of substance misuse relative to the general population and experience unique barriers to engaging in treatment. This study evaluates predictors of treatment completion for unhoused young adults receiving substance use treatment. Methods: Predictive models were generated on data from the 2020 Treatment Episode Data Set-Discharges. The sample included treatment discharges involving unhoused adults aged 18–24 years ( N = 12,273). Model performance was assessed by inspecting several evaluative metrics. Results: Overall, each model performed relatively well (AUC: 0.7234–0.7753). Classification models trained on balanced data predicted a higher proportion of treatment completers. Models trained on balanced data also achieved higher balanced accuracy and F1 scores relative to models trained on imbalanced data. Conclusions: Findings reveal multiple features important in the accurate classification of treatment completion, which may be useful for developing individualized interventions to support clients’ engagement in treatment services.

Prevention programming focused on interpersonal aggression and related behaviors remains an important public health strategy, particularly as concerns about online aggression among youth grow. However, recent evidence suggests that participation in such programs is declining. Integrating interpersonal aggression content into substance use prevention interventions is a promising route to increase participation. The research question guiding this study explored the feasibility of adapting an existing evidence-based intervention to better serve the prevention needs of Venezuelan youth residing in the United States (U.S.) The article describes the process of adapting keepin’ it REAL to an online format for Venezuelan migrant youth in the U.S., while incorporating content on interpersonal aggression. We followed the steps outlined in the Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center model to adapt the intervention, including piloting the adapted intervention, while using the Ecological Validity Model to ensure all necessary content areas were addressed. Qualitative data was taken from formative focus groups with Venezuelan youth (n = 11), meetings with the youth community advisory board (n = 4), and focus groups with participants following pilot testing (n = 10). Results indicate that participants perceived integrating content on interpersonal aggression into other interventions as feasible, acceptable, and useful. The use of digital platforms and other technologies has the potential to expand the possibilities for cultural adaptation by removing geographic constraints on target populations, thereby enhancing health equity.

Studies suggest that Venezuelan migrant families in the United States face both pre-migration crisis exposures and post-migration cultural stressors, both of which may influence their depressive symptoms. However, few studies have examined how familial pre- and post-migration stressors additively and interactively predict depressive symptoms among Venezuelan parents and adolescents. We examined whether (a) pre- and post-migration stressors can be modeled as family-level latent constructs reflecting shared experiences and perceptions between Venezuelan migrant parents and adolescents, and (b) these family-level constructs are involved in (b1) mediated and (b2) moderated processes leading to parent and adolescent depressive symptoms. Participants were 278 Venezuelan parent-adolescent dyads in the United States (74% mothers, 50.5% daughters; parent Mage = 41.82, adolescent Mage = 13.97). Longitudinal structural equation modeling, across two waves of data, was used to test the study hypotheses. Results indicated that both pre- and post-migration stressors among parents and adolescents converged into shared family constructs. Pre-migration family stressors predicted greater depressive symptoms for both parents and adolescents through post-migration family stressors (with marginally significant effect for adolescents). Moderated effects differed by reporter: for parents, post-migration family stressors were more strongly associated with their depressive symptoms when pre-migration family stressors were higher; whereas for adolescents, the association was stronger when pre-migration family stressors were lower. Findings highlight the importance of addressing shared family stress in interventions aimed at reducing depressive symptoms among crisis-affected migrant families in the United States.

INTRODUCTION:The Venezuelan pre-migration context has exposed millions of people to extreme hardship, with youth particularly vulnerable to the psychological toll of forced displacement. The present mixed-methods study investigates the relationship between pre-migration hunger and post-traumatic stress (PTS) symptoms among Venezuelan migrant youth resettled in Colombia and the United States (U.S.). METHODS:Using an explanatory sequential design, we analyzed survey data from 735 Venezuelan youth between 12 and 17 years old who resided in either Colombia (n = 433) or the U.S (n = 302) and conducted in-depth interviews with 56 participants from the larger sample (33 in Colombia and 23 in the U.S). The mean age of the sample was 14 years old and was evenly distributed between boys (49.93%) and girls (50.07%). RESULTS:Quantitative findings indicated that hunger significantly predicted PTS symptoms among youth who had resettled in the U.S. and Colombia. Qualitative data illustrated how hunger functioned as a traumatic experience, shaped by family sacrifice, emotional distress, and long-term psychological impact. CONCLUSION:These findings underscore how hunger functions as both a source of material deprivation and a psychological stressor, with implications for trauma-informed care, culturally responsive interventions, and migration policy.

BACKGROUND:As states work to develop better drug policy that promotes public health and safety while reducing incarceration, there is a need for behavioral health research on community-based sanctions like probation and parole. This paper uses a national U.S. health data set to contribute to the knowledge base on substance use and criminal justice supervision. METHODS:Using the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) from 2015 to 2021, we examine sociodemographic, behavioral, and mental health correlates of alcohol and drug treatment for those on probation and parole. RESULTS:Among those on probation and parole, 15 % received past-year alcohol treatment and 16 % received drug treatment while only 8-11 % met criteria for a past-year substance use disorder. Being African American was associated with half the likelihood of receiving drug treatment compared to being White for those on probation and parole as well as for those not. Otherwise, all correlates had either weaker relationships or no relationship at all to treatment receipt for those on probation and parole. CONCLUSIONS:This population tends to be male, low-income, disproportionately people of color, and have complex service needs with poor health outcomes. Further research and theory development are needed to understand the mismatch between substance use disorder and treatment receipt for this population and to address racial disparities in treatment.

Background: The 21st century has seen a decline in employment rates in the US at the same time that it has experienced a historically unprecedented rise in the numbers of adults under criminal justice system control. Both low employment and high incarceration have posed serious challenges for public health. Methods: Using data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health from 2002-2021, we estimated employment rates by community supervision status. Variations by sociodemographic subgroups were explored as well as correlations between employment and a range of mental and behavioural health variables. Results: Those on probation were twice as likely as those not to live in poverty. They experienced higher rates of poor mental and behavioural health, including three times the rate of substance use. Employment rates varied little by community supervision status. Health risk factors were associated with more risk and protective factors did less to mitigate risk for those under community supervision. Conclusions: Despite the range of adversities faced by individuals under criminal justice system control, their employment rates are remarkably close to those not. Despite near equivalent involvement in the labour force, this population has substantially poorer health and substantially reduced likelihood of escaping poverty.

The present study examines the relationship between psychological well-being (PWB) and upward economic mobility (UEM) among 321 Puerto Rican survivors of Hurricane Maria who migrated to the mainland. We aimed to identify unique thriving trajectory classes based on PWB and UEM and assess variations in sociodemographic factors, hurricane trauma, mental health, cultural stress, and collective wellness. Using growth mixture modeling, three thriving classes were identified: Elevated PWB/Low UEM (n=81, 25%), Moderate PWB/Low UEM (n=23, 7%), and High PWB/High UEM (n=217, 68%). Findings indicate that those who faced severe hurricane trauma reported the highest thriving, emphasizing PWB and UEM as critical for policy and intervention. Results challenge the prevailing idea that climate migrants, such as Maria migrants, inevitably suffer from chronic poor psychological well-being and economic insecurity.

Migration is a complex phenomenon shaping population dynamics and global development, driven by interconnected economic, political, and environmental factors. The Venezuelan migration crisis has overwhelmed South America's social and health services, with many migrants lacking legal status and facing increased risks, especially among children, who confront barriers in education, limited healthcare access, and heightened vulnerability to exploitation and violence. Despite this, research often overlooks the agency and perspectives of young migrants, who are frequently excluded from decision-making processes. This article aims to address this gap by exploring the migration experiences of Venezuelan youth in Colombia, with a focus on their involvement in migration decisions, the emotional challenges they face, and their integration into a new society. Grounded in a constructivist approach, the study employed a multi-method technique based on the I-poem method to analyze 32 interviews with Venezuelan youth aged 12 to 17, who arrived in Colombia between 2019 and 2020 and currently reside in Bogotá or Medellín. As a result, the findings convey two poems-A New Life (Una Nueva Vida) and When Decided to Migrate (La Decisión de Migrar). Such poems were crafted from interview fragments, reflecting the young migrants' personal and collective narratives. The study's findings call for a shift toward a child-centered perspective in migration research, recognizing young migrants as active agents who navigate complex emotional, social, and cultural challenges. We advocate for incorporating youth voices in policy development to address their needs and recommend participatory methodologies for future research and policymaking to better protect and empower young migrants.

Since 2015, over seven million Venezuelans have left their home country, with significant numbers resettling in the United States and Colombia. The aim of the present study was to examine the primary motivations for migration among Venezuelans relocating to these two countries, and to assess whether these motivations were associated with their destination choice. Additionally, we explored how migration motivations were linked to mental health outcomes (i.e., symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptom count) within this population. We conducted an online survey with 647 Venezuelan participants to assess mental health outcomes and explored their primary reasons for leaving Venezuela through open-ended questions. Responses were analyzed using sequential exploratory content analysis and latent class analysis. Eight thematic categories of reason to migrate were identified, and three distinct latent classes emerged: Political Threats, Economic Insecurity, and Shortages and Street Violence. Reasons to migrate differed significantly between destination countries, with more wealthy individuals relocating to the United States. We also found that PTSD symptom count was significantly different among migrants in the Political Threats class residing in the United States, compared to those in the other two classes. No class differences for anxiety or depressive symptoms were observed. A better understanding of how varying motivations for migration may influence migrants’ destination choices and their mental health can help inform more effective clinical interventions, and guide policymakers in planning and responding to future migration movements.

The present article advances a perspective on crisis migration and its effects on crisis migrants’ identities within their destination cultural contexts. It integrates insights from the literature on crisis migration and acculturation, framing it as a process of cultural identity expansion and transformation. The article reviews the challenges associated with crisis migration and how these challenges can interfere with cultural identity expansion and transformation. Key challenges enumerated here include traumatic events occurring before migration, family separation, sudden and unplanned departures from the country of origin, downward economic mobility in the destination country or region, and culturally stressful experiences. It advances predictions regarding how each of these challenges may interfere with the identity expansion and transformation that underlies acculturation, post-migration adjustment, and mental health. The article concludes with a proposed research agenda for evaluating and advancing the perspective presented.

Purpose:Racism-based police violence (RPV) is an emerging public health concern. However, limited research has examined the relationship between RPV exposure and substance use, particularly among Black or African American and Hispanic emerging adults aged 18-29 years. This study assessed associations between lifetime RPV exposure across three domains (direct victimization, witnessing in person, and media-based exposure) and past 30-day and 12-month alcohol and cannabis use in this population. Methods:A cross-sectional survey was conducted from August to October 2023 using a national nonprobability internet sample recruited via Qualtrics. The analytic sample included 936 Black or African American (48 %) and Hispanic (52 %) emerging adults. Negative binomial and logistic regression models were used to examine associations. Results:Higher levels of RPV exposure were significantly associated with increased alcohol and cannabis use. RPV-Victim exposure was the strongest predictor of alcohol use, including past 30-day (IRR = 1.02, 95 % CI: 1.00-1.05) and 12-month (OR = 1.04, 95 % CI: 1.01-1.07) use. RPV-Witness exposure was most strongly associated with cannabis use, including past 30-day (IRR = 1.02, 95 % CI: 1.00-1.03) and 12-month (OR = 1.03, 95 % CI: 1.01-1.06) use. A dose-response pattern was observed across increasing levels of RPV exposure. Conclusions:RPV exposure is a significant correlate of alcohol and cannabis use among Black or African American and Hispanic emerging adults. Findings suggest that perceived racialized policing is a significant risk factor for substance use and warrants further investigation as a potential structural determinant, highlighting it as an important target for public health interventions.

The emotional and material disruption caused by climate disasters often forces migrants to rely on their expectations for the future to cope with uncertainty. Whether positive or negative, these outlooks can significantly influence mental health over time. Using random-intercept cross-lagged panel modeling and six waves of data from 319 climate migrants in the United States, we examined the longitudinal relationships among optimism, pessimism, and depressive symptoms to assess their stability and predictive effects. Our findings indicate that optimism and pessimism are distinct yet related constructs, suggesting that individuals in this sample can experience both optimism and pessimism at the trait level. Further highlighting their trait-like nature, 39 % of the variance in optimism, 42 % in pessimism, and 55 % in depressive symptoms was attributable to between-person (trait-level) differences rather than within-person (state-level) fluctuations. This suggests that interventions aimed at modifying these constructs among climate migrants should address both individual traits and life circumstances resulting from the disaster. Surprisingly, neither optimism nor pessimism predicted future depressive symptoms in this sample. However, depressive symptoms negatively predicted optimism but not pessimism. Regarding sociodemographic factors, improved income following migration was associated with higher levels of optimism and lower levels of pessimism and depressive symptoms. These findings suggest that upward economic mobility may have a protective influence on both optimism and depressive symptoms among climate migrants in the United States. Implications for future research and policy are discussed.