The Erosion of the Immigrant Paradox: Acculturation, Gender, and Child Well-being in the Child Welfare System
Objective: This study examines the ”immigrant paradox” in child well-being among 3,298 children involved in the U.S. child welfare system, comparing outcomes for those with U.S.-born versus foreign-born caregivers. It further investigates how acculturation factors and gender shape behavioral problems, violence exposure, and trauma in immigrant families.,Methods: Using longitudinal data from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being III (2017–2022), reports from children, caregivers, and caseworkers across 61 counties were analyzed. Logistic regression models, adjusted for demographic and risk factors, assessed disparities in well-being and the moderating effects of acculturation.,Results: Children of U.S.-born caregivers were more than twice as likely to exhibit behavioral problems (OR = 2.21, 95% CI = 1.12–4.36) and externalizing issues (OR = 2.69, 95% CI = 1.31–5.53). However, a clear ”erosion of protection” emerged as acculturation increased: each additional year in the U.S. raised the odds of violence exposure by 5%. Girls in immigrant families faced 4.76 times higher odds of trauma than their U.S.-born counterparts (OR = 4.76, 95% CI = 1.04–25.00), and linguistic isolation was associated with 3.45 times higher odds of internalizing problems.,Conclusions: Immigrant families appear to enter child welfare with cultural protective factors that weaken over time and differ by gender. Findings underscore the need for gender-responsive, culturally and linguistically informed child welfare interventions that address the unique traumatic pressures experienced by immigrant girls and the compounding effects of long-term U.S. residency.
Chien-jen Chiang, Miyoun Yang, Maryam Rafieifar et al.