Los Problemas Eco-lógicos Entre Mi Gente: Unraveling the Truth of the American Dream for Mexican Immigrant Families
Date
2022-12
Authors
Rodriguez, Axeel
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Abstract
It is reported that 11 million undocumented Mexican immigrants reside in the U.S., and more than half have been living in this country for more than a decade (Garcini, 2015). Nonetheless, undocumented Mexican immigrant households have been bound to socioeconomic inequality, a reality often tied to the lack of support through social services. Further, the extant research shows that ecocultural factors (e.g., family, neighborhood, and school environments) can create adverse effects for those living in undocumented Mexican households. As explained by Perreira and Ornelas (2011), “[b]ecause migration exposes children to unique developmental demands and stressors associated with acculturation, it reshapes their normative development, p. (197).” This research is supported by Gelatt (2016), who found that the constant parental stress of deportation may debilitate parents’ mental health and that these worries may also affect the health of their children. Further complicating the issue is the fact that language barriers often prevent immigrants from navigating the complex American health system (Ayón, 2020). Yet, few studies have explored the extent to which immigrants are aware of the ecocultural factors influencing their lives. Essentially, there remains a gap in our understanding of how such factors are mitigated in pursuing the American dream. Thus, the present research aims to document (1) the ecocultural factors perceived to be the most salient in the lives of adult children from Mexican immigrant families; and (2) describe how they combat the factors that threaten their desired achievements.
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Keywords
American dream, Mexican immigration, undocumented Mexican immigrant, childhood development, Honors College
Citation
Rodriguez, A. (2022). Los problemas eco-lógicos entre mi gente: Unraveling the truth of the American dream for Mexican immigrant families (Unpublished thesis). Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas.