The consequences of perceived discrimination on internalizing mental health outcomes for immigrant adolescents in OECD countries : A systematic literature review

Abstract: In the last few decades the focus of immigration flows has been predominantly toward member countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Immigration is a process full of challenges, and perceiving as being discriminated by host country natives is one of the biggest difficulties for the immigrants. This challenge is especially represented in immigrant adolescent population due to their higher sensitivity of perception of others. Thus, perceived discrimination characterized as being a significant negative consequence resulting internalizing mental health outcomes for immigrant adolescents. Therefore, the aim of this study is to conduct a systematic literature review in order to identify and discuss the findings of the existing studies that focus on the consequences of perceived discrimination on internalizing mental health outcomes for immigrant adolescents in OECD countries. The systematic review included 16 studies for data extraction. The results showed that perceived discrimination has significant negative consequences on internalizing mental health outcomes for immigrant adolescents in OEDC countries resulting in higher levels of: depression, anxiety, psycho-somatization, post-traumatic stress disorder, and obsession-compulsion symptoms. However, within this relationship, there are also moderating and mediating variables. Self-esteem, familism and cognitive appraisal of discriminatory events were characterized as mediators. Parental support, adherence to traditional family values, acculturation, transcultural identity, older age, higher socioeconomic status (SES), and ethnic identity were characterized as moderators. It is recommended that the negative consequences of perceived discrimination on internalizing mental health outcomes should be taken into consideration on societal levels and in mental health fields when planning interventions and therapies for immigrant adolescents. Additionally, further research in this field should be conducted in other OECD countries with different immigrant groups in order to increase the generalizability of the findings.